Anatomy and Physiology Nursing Mnemonics & Tips

Anatomy and physiology is heavy on memorization, but you cannot care for a body you do not understand. These mnemonics lock down the high-yield structures and functions.

1. Functions of the bone

Bones do far more than provide rigidity. Their jobs fall into three groups: mechanical (protection, structure, movement, sound transduction), synthetic (blood production), and metabolic (mineral, fat, and growth storage, acid-base balance, detoxification, endocrine activity). Remember them with "Some Men Prefer Mini Skirts, But Can't Find Enough Skin."

2. Facial bones: "VAIN MM PLZ"

Textbooks disagree on which bones belong to the facial skeleton versus the neurocranium. The hyoid, ethmoid, and sphenoid are sometimes counted, sometimes assigned to the neurocranium, and some lists add frontal-aspect bones like the frontal bone. Use VAIN MM PLZ so you do not drop a facial bone.

3. Cranial bones: "PEST OF"

The neurocranium is eight bones: occipital, two temporal, two parietal, sphenoid, ethmoid, and frontal. They form the major portions of the skull and protect the brain.

4. Layers of the epidermis

The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin, itself built from a layer of epithelial cells. Epithelium more broadly covers and lines organs (digestive, respiratory, and so on). Recall the epidermal layers with "Come, Let's Get Sun Burned."

5. Functions of the epithelium: "PASSIFS"

Epithelium is one of the four basic animal tissue types, alongside connective, muscle, and nervous tissue. It lines hollow organs and glands and forms the body's outer surface. Cell structure varies by job: protective, secretory, or absorptive. Remember its functions with PASSIFS.