A Complementary Laboratory Exercise: Introducing Molecular Structure–Function Topics to Undergraduate Nursing Health Professions Students

• Angela L. Mahaffey ^[1]
  1. [1] Loyola University Chicago

     Loyola University Chicago

     City of Chicago, Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 96, Nº 10, 2019, págs. 2188-2193
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • In both 2016 and 2019, the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination – RN computerized exam) test plan outlined 15% of content as “pharmacological and parenteral therapies”. The test plan also includes physiological sciences. The topics of pharmacology encompass the review of drug action in living organisms, such as humans. As such, reviewing correlations of molecular structure and functional groups is a recurrent topic in pharmacological education and prerequisite courses. Many nursing students are required to participate in a specific curriculum, prior to matriculation, which covers pharmacology as it pertains to healthcare. The interdisciplinary topics of healthcare and chemistry, advanced pharmacology, pharmaceuticals, and biochemical pathways in human physiology are apparent in multiple undergraduate nursing program curricula. Here, we have an opportunity for the development of a first year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) chemistry for health professions course that would introduce molecular structure–function relations concerning pharmacological topics and human physiology chemical pathways. A chemistry computer lab exercise was design to complement undergraduate health professions nursing school chemistry classroom lectures on molecular structure–function relations. Online 2D molecular drawing software was employed as a tool for visualizing a list of molecules to primarily help students understand OTC (over-the-counter) drug “active ingredient” structure pertaining to drug function and biological agents in human physiology. Student responses highlight positive feedback to this useful exercise and further recommendation for use in ongoing undergraduate health professions courses.