TEACHING BIOCHEMISTRY TO NURSING STUDENTS

Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. This field of knowledge is considered one of the most difficult disciplines for the students in the Higher Education Area. Most of the Degrees and Bachelors programs related to Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Biotechnology, Environmental Sciences, Chemical Engineering, contains at least one course focused on Biochemistry.

During the last few years, new Degree programmes focused on Nursing or Human Nutrition have been designed and implemented in Spain and in most cases, those programs have been enriched with courses related to Biochemistry, mainly applied Biochemistry. In general, professors have really appreciate this change, because Biochemistry offer the required knowledge to properly understand important processes such as metabolic diseases, the theoretical principle under some health care techniques, the assimilation of the nutrients, etc.

However, Nursing students have negative perception toward Biochemistry and most of them consider that this subject is not necessary to become a qualified nursing professional.

This article explore these issues and examine the role of Biochemistry’s teachers to help change the Nursing students negative perception and develop a more positive attitude to study and learn clinical biochemistry.