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Biochemistry for Nurses ( ): Course Outline

In a nutshell, Biochemistry is important in nursing because it gives knowledge about normal chemical process within the living cells and any change in it helps in the diagnosis of disease, thereby helping the nurse to provide an effective care to the pati

Course Outline

Course Description:

This course is intended to provide the health professional with an understanding of the major organic substances of living organisms, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, their structure analyses and biochemical functions. It also provide an introduction to the chemistry of bioenergetics, metabolism, biosynthesis and molecular biology

Course Objectives:

At the end of the course students will be able to:

  1. Describe the basics of organic chemistry with emphasis on the biomolecules and reactions encountered in biochemistry of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, enzymes and hormones.
  2. Perform experiment to study the chemical & physical properties of biomolecules.
  3. Relate the basic knowledge of biochemistry for better understanding of the physiological functions of the human body.
Teaching/Learning Strategies:

Lectures, Class discussions, role play, presentations laboratory demonstration, experiments, written assignments, problem solving activities, self study, pair and group work.

Course Expectations:

In order to successfully meet the objectives of this course students will do the following:

  1. Attend all classes, and laboratory sessions as per policy
  2. Pre-reading for each class
  3. Complete all assignments, and examinations on due dates
  4. Participate actively in classes and in laboratory sessions.
 
  1. Satisfactory completion of laboratory work.

Unit Outlines:

Unit I:         Basic concepts of Chemistry

Discuss the importance of chemistry in nursing. Also review the concepts that would help in better understanding of the following units

After the completion of this unit students will be able to

  1. Review the basic concepts of matter and elements mixture, compounds, chemical reactions, equations & bonding.
  2. Discuss Acid base and redox reactions.

Unit II:        Basic concepts of Organic Chemistry

Explain how organic chemistry is important in daily life & in nursing practice.

After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Recognize the importance of organic compounds.
  2. Compare properties of organic and inorganic compounds.
  3. Describe the classification of organic compounds.
  4. Differentiate the type of hydrocarbons.
    • Saturated
    • Unsaturated
  5. Describe the molecular composition of:
    • Carbohydrates
    • Fats
    • Proteins
    • Nucleic acid
  6. List the functional groups that is alcohol, ethers aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, amines, amino acids, and amides.
  7. Write equations for the formations of alkene, alkanes, aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, amines and amides.
  8. Discuss the biologic importance of various aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, amines, amides.
  9. Distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary amines.
  10. Explain the structure of amino acid ( µ -amino acid ).
  11. Discuss isomerism with at least two examples.

Unit III:       Metabolism:

At the end of this unit learners will be able to:

  1. Define metabolism, anabolism, catabolism
  2. Define Andensoin Triphosphalic (ATP) and discuss its relationship with catabolism and anabolism.
  3. Define     the     following     terms,    gluconeogenesis,     glycogenesis, glycogenolysis, transamination, deamination & ketosis.
  4. Briefly discuss the following metabolic pathways for carbohydrate, protein & fats in terms of Glycolysis. Kreb cycle & electron transport chain.

Unit IV:       Chemistry of Carbohydrates

Describe the structure, properties & functions of Carbohydrates After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Define carbohydrates.
  2. Describe the general structure of carbohydrates.
  3. Explain the classification of carbohydrate.
  4. Compare the three major classes of carbohydrates that is mono saccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide.
  5. Discuss the biological significance of carbohydrates.

Unit V:        Chemistry of Lipids

Describe the functions & structure of lipids

After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Describes the structure and general properties of lipids and fatty acids.
  2. Discuss the classification of lipids that is simple, compound & derived lipids.
  3. Distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fats
  4. Distinguish between soap and detergents.
  5. Explain briefly the role of phospholipids in cell membranes.
  6. Role of steroids (cholesterol )

Unit VI:       Chemistry of Proteins

Describe the structure, functions & properties of proteins. After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Discuss the general structure of amino acids.
  2. Discuss the following
    • Essential and non essential amino acid.
    • Polar and non polar amino acid
    • Zwitter ion
  3. Describe classification of proteins according to solubility, composition, function and shape.
  4. Explain the significance of protein denaturation.
  5. Discuss the structure of dipeptides and tripeptides.
  6. Describe the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of protein.

Unit VII:      Nucleic Acid & Nucleotide

In this unit students will study about nucleotide, DNA & RNA that represent the fundamental molecule of life.

At the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Describe the main structural features of nucleotide.
  2. Explain the structure of RNA & DNA.
  3. State the main differences between DNA & RNA.
  4. Discuss the biological importance of nucleotides.

Unit VIII:     Enzymology

Explains the importance of enzymes, their mode of actions and properties to human physiology.

After the completion of this unit students will be able:

  1. Discuss the importance of enzymes.
  2. Explain the mode of enzyme activity.
  3. Distinguish between apoenzymes, coenzymes & co factors.
  4. Distinguish between activators and inhibitors
  5. Understand inhibition of enzyme activity in
    • Competitive inhibitors
    • Non competitive inhibitors
    • Uncompetitive inhibition.
  6. Describe with the classification of enzymes
  7. Discuss the clinical significance of enzymes
  8. Explain the factors affecting the enzyme activity.

Unit IX:       Bio-energetic and Metabolism

  1. Define Bioenergetics
  2. Briefly discuss the concept of free energy
  3. Explain the role of ATP in Linking Catabolism and anabolism
  4. Discuss the biological oxidation and reduction reaction
  5. Describe electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation

Unit X:        Metabolism of Carbohydrates

Explains the metabolism of CHO

After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Discuss the importance of glucose in blood and its dependency by various
  2. Discuss the glycogensis and glycogenolysis
  3. Describe the role of oxidative glucose catabolism in the citric acid cycle.
  4. Describe the role of gluconeogenesis
  5. Discuss the overall scheme of carbohydrate metabolism

Unit XI:       Metabolism of Fats

Explains the metabolism of lipids & fats.

After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Describe the mechanism of fatty acid oxidation
  2. Discuss the amount of energy produced during the oxidation of a fat.
  3. Explain the significance of the role of ketone bodies.

Unit XI:       Metabolism of Protein

Explain the metabolism of Proteins

After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Review the digestion and absorption of protein.
  2. Explain the significance of nitrogen balance
  3. Describe the synthesis of protein
  4. Discuss the transamination, deamination and decaboxylation.
  5. Discuss the formation of urea and ammonia disposal

Unit XII:      Hormones (Communication among cells & tissue)

After the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Describes the classification of hormone.
  2. Discuss the mode function of steroid & peptides hormones.
  3. To become familiar with the cardiac, pineal and gastrointestinal hormones.
Topics to be Covered in Laboratory
  1. Review Lab
  2. Properties of Organic compounds

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