The "Nursing Games" claims it's first victims...

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I posted on another thread recently how nursing school is like "The Hunger Games." Today was a particularly rough day. I heard the cannon sound for several of my fellow classmates. They failed the required drug calculation test and have been dismissed from the program. I feel so sad for them. It just really, really suck to have put in so much time and hard work, not to mention money, to be admitted into the program and then get dropped the first month. I can still see the tears. Blerg!

Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Well I kind of understand your frustration. My school didn't teach much about dosage calc's before we ahd to be tested on them but we had a lot of help available in our lab if we wanted it. I utilized that and it helped. Drug calcs have become my favorite questions on exams because there is only 1 right answer not 4 rights answers that you need to choose the best one. I also don't know why they dont teach dimensional analysis. I love this because it always works for everything. You just need to know it and you're good, everythign works.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

There needs to be no room for error on math for dosage questions......in the real world med erreors are not allowed and 100% correctness 100% of the time is required but the Instructors need to teach it properly first. It should be it's own course along with pharmacology.

Annnd this reminds me why I am so happy I selected the program I did.

We have a math requirement for entry and at each semester are given a 10 question test which we must score 100% first try, however if we don't we take a remedial class, take the test again, and if you pass that exam you move on to the next clinical level.

I think this speaks more to the spirit of nursing - education.

Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

The thing that best prepared me was my chem class. Conversions and those stupid sig figs!

One of the many things I love about my school is that they offer optional, lunch time tutorials. If you aren't getting it, bring a brown bag lunch and get an hour lecture every 3 weeks or so. It has really helped some of the students in my class to break down the word problem, find out what the question is asking, and then, work on the conversions.

Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Trauma ICU.

For my nursing school, we had to pass teas (test of essential a? Skills) in order to apply/ get accepted. It had a large math portion with lots of conversions.. Etc. but I agree, maybe there should be a separate point category for just the math portion of the teas test

Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Trauma ICU.

Now I'm scared of getting dropped... I start in January.. Nervous!

I know the thing that got me, and that has gotten a few students I know, is the time! We get nervous because we have x amount of time to take the test, and end up making stupid mistakes. For some people it takes a lot of time to pick apart the question and get the right numbers they need. For me that rang true. I got nervous about the time and made 2 stupid mistakes. But I have practiced and practiced and practiced and can do the problems like nobodies business!

In an education system that is already more expensive than it should be, why should med math be a required class when the vast majority of students have no problems with it?

I my opinion there are only two major reasons why a student can't pass simple math in two tries:

1. They don't read carefully or work too fast and make mistakes, which is dangerous.

2. They can't do basic math which is dangerous.

I have to agree there is no reason why med math should be a class at all. Its pretty simple math and I know at all the schools around here you have to have college algebra before getting into the nursing programs. I do think maybe if the students are having a hard time maybe the professors can give some tutor sessions. In many of our classes we are given cheat sheets to remember the formulas you learn those formulas and they are so simple to do without even a calculator.

How should one prepare themselves for dosage calculations? I'm not too crazy about math and am not accepted just yet, but want to get a head start on learning and familiarizing myself with it. Any suggestions? Websites? I may start nursing school in December. Thanks.

Go buy the book "Calculate with Confidence" or just use dosagehelp.com

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

We have a one credit hour class for calc, and the main math is ratio/proportion and dimensional analysis. Also, routes, amounts, how to read orders, use MARs, 6 rights, 7 required components of orders, differences in syringes; all the mechanics of passing meds not the pharmacologics so much. Spend a lot of time in how to read orders and word problems, make it as "real life" as possible.

One pre-req for entry is college level basic math; but the school system in our state ranks very low nationally. Grade school math is not mastered by far too many people here. So, its a gimme class for some as far as the math goes, and a necessity for others. No way to tell for sure ahead of time. Do my best to make it interesting for everyone.

Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

Our students receive online access to a calculations program, several weeks of practice in class, optional tutoring session, and they must all take college algebra to enter the program. If they fail the first attempt, they must attend 1:1 tutoring with the retention coordinator. And yet, every year, at least one student will fail and say how unfair it is that they aren't allowed to continue. I overheard one student this year saying "It is sooooo ridiculous that they failed me just because I divided when I should have multiplied on two problems and just moved the decimal over one place on two other problems!!"

I will tell you what is unfair. It is unfair that medication error rates are so high that patients are afraid to stay in hospitals. It was VERY unfair when this happened Nurse's suicide highlights twin tragedies of errors - Health - Health care | NBC News All reports I've read indicate that this was an excellent and caring nurse who made a horrific mistake. "Just a decimal place off" leads to death in this field. The students who fail are missing more than three problems on their calculation exam (30 questions with 90% required to pass). I don't want to be cared for by the nurse who just can't remember whether to multiply of divide after hours of remediation. I don't want to be cared for by the nurse who thinks a decimal place error is no big deal. There are too many other factors such as fatigue and stress in our jobs to pass someone who can't do basic math.

Our attrition rate is very low, but those who fail are not ready to be nurses and have failed themselves in many cases. I put hours of preparation into my lectures to ensure that the latest research and techniques are represented and to explain the material on a level that can be understood. Yet, when I speak with the students who fail, the majority find it unreasonable that they have to spend "so much" time studying. I asked one student how much time he spent (on average) studying for nursing school and he said "about an hour a week in each class."

I can prepare lectures that explain the material. I can give the students practice NCLEX questions. I can model professional behaviors and willingness to learn. I can set tough but fair standards. I can't MAKE someone learn. They have to decide to do that on their own. It saddens me when they fail themselves, but not everyone is meant to be a nurse that would like to become a nurse.

It is reasonable for nursing students to have to pass a med calc test. I question a program where you don't know that basic math is a requirement. For my BSN program we were required to take Statistics as a pre-req; in order to take Statistics you had to have college algebra - which required a certain math test score..... Then we had to pass an entrance exam (math again). You get math in Intro to Nursing; then Pharmocology and on EVERY test after that. At least 4 math questions on each and every test in every class.

If you don't know how to work them, get some tutoring and work practice questions over and over and over. Know your conversions!

I am by no means a math whiz but I rarely miss a drug calc. When we learned IV calculations I was very confused and missed the first math questions ever! I sat down and made myself figure out MY way of working the questions. I haven't missed one since - but I go back every so often and rework the practice sheets and make myself think about what they are asking for - that is the key.

I am in my last semester and in our Capstone class we have a math calc quiz every class day and in every SIM. You will see it on the HESI's, the NCLEX, etc. etc. Go to your instructor, your classmates, the internet, Calc with Confidence. Whatever it takes to make it sink in!

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