Help Pls!!!

NewEnglandRN, RN · May 20, 2004

Hi!

I highly recommend the book "Dosage Calculations Made Incredible Easy." It starts with a basic review of fractions, percents, decimals and then basic algebra. ISBN# 9781582551340

See if you can enroll in a Math For Health Professionals in the fall with your nursing courses.

Good luck,

Michelle

ManEnough · May 20, 2004

Not sure who warned you about needing to know algebra, but I promise it's not that bad. I have classmates who can't balance a checkbook to save their lives who have no problem with the math. Not a single person has left my program due to math. Check out the book the above poster recommended and you will do fine. If not, come on here and we can cybertutor.

fourblessings · May 21, 2004

thank you, both of you...i feel much better! I tried to search for that ISBN number (Amazon and Ebay half.com), and nothing came up! Is this the book you were refering to? Would it work? here is the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=377&item=4215180563&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

thanks! :)

Saved_by_Grace · May 21, 2004

i know all schools are different, but mine didn't even require a math prereq. and the lpn and adn program is integrated first year is lpn, then you can take nclex and go on to second year adn or stop at first year, it's your choice. however they only recommended that we take math 122 if we felt weak in our own math skills. it was not even algebraic per say. i took it during the spring and it started with decimals and fractions and worked its way up to proportions. it was mostly word problems with real life drug calculations like weak solutions from a stong solution..etc and running time of iv's and piggyback iv's. the metric system was also in there.. and conversions such as mg/ml..etc...just to give you an idea of things you might want to look up. i was told it was only recommended before taking pharmacology as a base that it would just prepare you so you would have an idea of what to expect in pharm. in fact our text book was available at the local library and it was called math for nurses by mary jo beyer and it's a small pocket guide you can carry around with you. hope this helps you in some way. good luck to you!

don't worry i hate math too. it's my biggest worry about the whole program..lol

NewEnglandRN, RN · May 21, 2004

Yes, that is the book on eBay. I have ordered from that seller before and was very happy with them!

Great price, too!

Have a great day,

Michelle

LeesieBug · May 21, 2004

Did you take chemistry in your pre-reqs? Chem math is basically the same as dosage calculations...if you can do one, you can do the other. I was shocked when I looked at a dosage calc book last year and said, "HEY, its dimensional analysis! Maybe pre-reqs CAN be useful!" :chuckle

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · May 21, 2004

Okay, lemme share how I got past this--first thing to do is get past the terror! :chuckle Me, all my life I have loved math, arithmetic really--got as far as calculus before a divorce got in the way and I had to drop out. I'm the sort who calculates my mpg, distance left to go before getting to my next major city on a trip, and my minutes per mile (not mph....) in my head. I actually like that stuff. But I was panicked about med math!

We had to take "math mastery quizzes" each semester in my first nursing school. We were told solemnly that we would have three chances and had to make a 90 to pass. I'm so invested in becoming a nurse, before I knew it, I was terrified! And my dramatic-ly panicking classmates weren't any help at all.

I actually flunked a couple of those stupid quizzes before I "discovered" that it was a lot easier than those calculations I do in my head.

First, I learned the abbreviations, most of which I knew from cooking, baking and making baby formula years ago. How many minims in a whatsis, etc. was a pretty short list once I got rid of the stuff I already knew. (Until then I didn't recognize that having that long list--even though I knew most of the items--made the molehill look like a mountain.)

Then I realized, all I have to do is conversions. That's it! I started out with the medication as it was supplied and kept multiplying with equivalent ratios (like 1 hour/60 minutes) because all that did was multiply by one (which changes nothing, right?), in the direction of the ordered amount and rate, and voila! I did it!

This may seem complicated, but once you do one or two and come back and look at this explanation again, you will be amazed at how clear and simple it is. If you are able to see it as a puzzle to be solved, and give yourself a nice pat on the back when you succeed, it will become fun!

When all else fails: recall that this is not rocket science, and plenty of people with a lot less going for them than we have, have mastered this stuff in the past.

You'll do fine! Enjoy it!

RNKITTY04 · May 21, 2004

Imho Drug calculations are NOT Algebra. I totally suck at math but was able to understand drug calc with minimum effort. Like a previous poster said its more conversions then anything else. Try not to sweat it too bad, obviously your school did'nt think you would need it or it would have been included in the pre-reqs.

Good luck :)

PS. In retrospect it really isn't that bad. Just stay calm

RedSox33RN · May 21, 2004

Imho Drug calculations are NOT Algebra. I totally suck at math but was able to understand drug calc with minimum effort. Like a previous poster said its more conversions then anything else. Try not to sweat it too bad, obviously your school did'nt think you would need it or it would have been included in the pre-reqs.
Good luck :)
PS. In retrospect it really isn't that bad. Just stay calm

I agree. I took a Math for Allied Health class, and that helped me so much. I am not a math person in any way shape or form.

I've talked to many nursing students and RN's, and all tell me that I don't need to know how fast train B is going if they left the station at 6am, travelling into a 18m.p.h. headwind and it's now 8:45 and they've gone 300 miles. The patients don't really care either!

I do recommend the books mentioned above. I kept my Math for Allied Health book, but got a dosage calculation one also for good reading until the next Jonathan Kellerman books comes out! :chuckle

Star Trek Nerd · May 21, 2004

Ok, i am scared to death. I am starting my clinicals this fall, and I have read alot of the threads the last hour on here that say how important Algebra is for your clinicals. I have completed all my pre reqs (except Microbiology, which I'm taking and just started for this summer semester), and not one of my general classes I have taken have been a math. My problems is, i never even made it to pre algebra in high school.:imbar What should I do?? I wish i would have known about this forum while I was doing my pre-reqs for the last few years, so i could learn algebra. I am starting my clinicals in 3 months, with only *basic* math background. What do I do???????????? PLS HELP, i just lost my confidence.
P.S. Too late to enroll for summer, I'm already taking 3 classes.:uhoh21:

I have no advice, I just wanted to wish you best of luck. This too shall pass. Practice, practice, practice that damn algebra. Get an "Algebra for Dummies" book or something. With any luck you'll be one of those right-brained people that just "gets" algebra. I wish I was!!