The Nursing Math Thread

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A member pm'd me the following question highlighted below. We created this thread for you guys to talk about math, solve math problems, and post math websites that you have found helpful.

I was wondering, is there a sticky or a special site that can be coordinated for "math sufferers". Perhaps, beginning calculations or shall i say the basics..simple to complex...step by step on how to calculate. I'm a visual learner, numbers and I don't work well. I am trying, but I've got a block!

Thank you, I was confused! I knew I have to calculate the remaining hours (8) but once I started I went back to 7, that's why its very important to double check math questions!! I do have a question, why do I need to change the drop factor to micro (60) since that information was not given in the problem? Should I change it even though it was not given every time that I have results with low gtt/min?

The original post of the problem says recalculate the remaining fluid in mcgtts; that would be microdrops which is a 60gtt/min set...was that a mistype? If not then it is stated in the problem, just in the second half. Sorry I just noticed Daytonite answered this!

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Your original post of the problem says recalculate the remaining fluid in mcgtts...was that a mistype?

No, I just did not pay attention when I was answering the question! so I got confused and got a wrong answer! But now I get it :rolleyes:

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No, I just did not pay attention when I was answering the question! so I got confused and got a wrong answer! But now I get it :rolleyes:

Sorry I just realized you were not the original poster!lol:imbar

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Sorry I just realized you were not the original poster!lol:imbar

That's ok, I was trying to help and then I got everything confused ad gave wrong answers, well at least I realized after I read the posting and I am very grateful that I was corrected! since that made me realized what I did wrong :imbar. I am studying for my final tomorrow and I entered the web and read the problem I though "I can help!" but I did not double check my answers and there you have I WAS GIVING WRONG ANSWERS :bluecry1:. Good that my mistake was cleared. :wink2:

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Hi I found the following site good for IV math problems.

http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/ivprob.html

Hey thanks for the site.

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Specializes in LTC.
A member pm'd me the following question highlighted below. We created this thread for you guys to talk about math, solve math problems, and post math websites that you have found helpful.

I was wondering, is there a sticky or a special site that can be coordinated for "math sufferers". Perhaps, beginning calculations or shall i say the basics..simple to complex...step by step on how to calculate. I'm a visual learner, numbers and I don't work well. I am trying, but I've got a block!

Thanx for asking that! I had asked as general ?? for some pointers! But WOW!!! :yeah: What a plethera of info that came!! I bookmarked this one for future use!! Thanx again!! :up:

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I have a basic question. Our school posted 20 drug dosage questions, but won't post the answers. (They say if they did, no one would do the work!! whatever!!!)

Here is the question:

The order is to administer Kefzol 500 mg IVPB q6h for 4 days. Kefzol 225mg per 2ml is available. How many mL of Kefzol would you add to the IVPB per dose?

ANSWER:

When you work it out, you get 2.22222 mL. MY QUESTION do you round off to 2mL or 2.2 mL??

I say you round off to 2 mL but a few other students have stated it should be 2.2 mL? who is correct??

One more question for clarification:

If your giving a drub by IV PUSH, you would round off to the nearest tenth? i.e. 1.44 as ur answer would be rounded off to 1.4 (not just 1)

Thanks

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Yes, round off to the nearest tenth for meds given from a syringe. The syringes are marked to give tenth of a ml doses.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
i have a basic question. our school posted 20 drug dosage questions, but won't post the answers. (they say if they did, no one would do the work!! whatever!!!)

here is the question:

the order is to administer kefzol 500 mg ivpb q6h for 4 days. kefzol 225mg per 2ml is available. how many ml of kefzol would you add to the ivpb per dose?

answer:

when you work it out, you get 2.22222 ml. my question do you round off to 2ml or 2.2 ml??

i say you round off to 2 ml but a few other students have stated it should be 2.2 ml? who is correct??

one more question for clarification:

if your giving a drub by iv push, you would round off to the nearest tenth? i.e. 1.44 as ur answer would be rounded off to 1.4 (not just 1)

thanks

beth66335 is correct in telling you that when you are giving liquid doses involving syringes you consider that the syringes are marked to an accuracy of 1/10 of a ml, or cc, so your answers should reflect that.

however, your answer to the first problem is incorrect. it is a good idea on tests to write your work down and double check it. use all the time you are given up to the last minute--especially if the outcome is important to your school career! or a patient's safety!

the order is to administer kefzol 500 mg ivpb q6h for 4 days. kefzol 225mg per 2ml is available. how many ml of kefzol would you add to the ivpb per dose?

dose desired:
500 mg

dose on hand:
225 mg/2 ml

500 mg
(dose desired)
/225 mg
(dose on hand)
x 2 ml
(amount the dose on hand comes in)
= 4.444 ml
, rounds to
4.4 ml

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OOPSS!!! Question should have been225 mh PER 1ml (not 2) should double check my typing, sorry!!

I thought with IV PiggyBack, was the small bag, hung above the main bag, which is prepared by the pharmacy, so you as the RN can not add to it????

So this gives you 2.2222 ml and should be rounded to 2.2 ml. Ok I'm cool with that, but referencing my books, Henke and Calculations made easy, they both round it to 2 ml (vice 2.2 ml) I'm not stating your incorrect daytonite, I have always respected your replies. Just weird that one finds these conflicting answers,lol Thanks, I truly appreciate your time.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
oopss!!! question should have been225 mh per 1ml (not 2) should double check my typing, sorry!!

i thought with iv piggyback, was the small bag, hung above the main bag, which is prepared by the pharmacy, so you as the rn can not add to it????

so this gives you 2.2222 ml and should be rounded to 2.2 ml. ok i'm cool with that, but referencing my books, henke and calculations made easy, they both round it to 2 ml (vice 2.2 ml) i'm not stating your incorrect daytonite, i have always respected your replies. just weird that one finds these conflicting answers,lol thanks, i truly appreciate your time.

you are correct. the iv piggyback is the small bag of 50cc or 100cc of ns or d5w that is hung above the main iv infusion. when drugs are added to them it is often done by the pharmacy, but in some facilities during the nighttime or in an emergency the nurse may end up having to mix the piggyback. i've worked in several places where we were not allowed to give anything by iv push. instead we had to mix the drug in a piggyback and drip it. that could only be done by us nurses on the unit. the pharmacy wasn't going to bother mixing every prn dose of iv valium for us when a patient needed it.

the rounding to 2 instead of 2.2 is a mathematics thing and has to do with scientific notation. if the numbers going into the calculations are whole integers then the results are supposed to be expressed as whole integers. a scientist would only express the answer as 2.2 if one of the numbers going into the calculation was, let's say, 225.0 mg. it's just one of those quirky things that people who have taken chemistry or physics know when it comes to doing the math connected with them. for your tests you might want to clarify with your instructors what they will accept as correct answers when it comes to rounding them off.

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Thanks again daytonite. On our exams it states to round off to 2 decimal places WHEN NECESSARY,lol And thats where the confusion lays with this problem.I know with a syringe when to round off, but with this IV Piggy Back it leads to confusion, at least for my tiny male brain!!

I guess since I have never completed any "hands on" filling of these bags, it does not help! SO I assume (yes bad to do,lol) one would use a syringe to draw up your 2.2 ml of the drug and add it to the bag! Damn new nurses,lol I hope your feeling well daytonite. Cheers

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