Chemistry in nursing

Name
Tutor
Course
Date
Chemistry in Nursing
Chemistry is one of the compulsory subjects studied in nursing schools. The majority of nursing students especially in their first years of study usually fail to understand why they have to study chemistry. To understand the connection between chemistry and nursing, one needs to start by following the definition of both disciplines. Chemistry is a science that investigates matter’s properties, composition and interactions (Haynes 1). It is thus a physical science concerned with the analysis of various aggregates of matter like molecules, atoms and crystals (Whyte 1). On the other hand, nursing is both a science and an art. As an art, nursing involves the capacity to skillfully respond to the needs of the patients (Haynes 1). As a science, nursing entails systemized knowledge used to improve and maintain the health of patients and their families and the interplay between different disciplines like social behavior, and physical sciences (Haynes 1).
The definition of these two disciplines points out that chemistry is a physical science and nursing derives knowledge from physical sciences. Chemistry is thus fundamental to nursing since it is a source of practice informing knowledge. In the healthcare setting, nurses are usually tasked with the administration of medication to patients. Regarding this role, knowledge of chemistry serves two purposes; enabling the nurse to understand how medicines function and enabling the nurse to understand the conditions of the patients.

Understanding How Medicines Work
Administration of medication to patients, a role played in the healthcare setting by nurses, requires an adequate understanding of how medications function. In the course of treating a patient, physicians usually prescribe different drugs which the nurse administers to the patients. Some of the drugs may be incompatible with the potential to cause severe side effects if administered together (Haynes 1). A nurse needs adequate knowledge of drug classification and the drug interactions of the medicines in each classification. This knowledge will help the nurse avoid administering drugs with potentially harmful interactions together.
Additionally, a nurse administering drugs to a patient needs to understand why one drug is preferred over the others in the same class or with the same generic name. The study of drug classification and the functioning mechanism is pure chemistry. Drug classification is based on the chemical properties of drugs which are in turn based on the elements that make up the drugs (Haynes 1). Knowledge of chemistry is therefore critical for nurses to understand drug classification and functioning so that they can administer drugs safely.
Understanding Patient Conditions
The administration of drugs to patients by nurses is aimed at improving their health. It is thus imperative that nurses track the conditions of the patients in the course of drug administration to determine whether or not the drugs are helping to improve the patient’s health. The condition of a patient is defined by different parameters such as body thermo-stability, blood pH balance, and the level of various solutes in the blood (Whyte 1). These parameters are measured using different chemistry techniques. For nurses to accurately track patient condition throughout the treatment, they should have adequate knowledge of chemistry, particularly the chemistry techniques used to measure and interpret data on the parameters of patient condition.
Conclusion
The science of chemistry is therefore vital in nursing. The knowledge of this science helps nurses in two critical ways; to understand the classification and functioning of the drugs they administer and understand the health conditions of the patients.

Works Cited
Haynes, Natalie. “The Importance Of Chemistry To Nursing”. Prezi.Com, 2018, https://prezi.com/aeir1r-nwo3a/the-importance-of-chemistry-to-nursing/. Accessed 17 Aug 2018.
Whyte, Madyson. “Organic Chemistry In Nursing”. Prezi.Com, 2018, https://prezi.com/nury1ss5_iki/organic-chemistry-in-nursing/. Accessed 17 Aug 2018.