Dosage calculations aahhh !!! Need help plsss

[Ericad85]

OKAY SOOO I AM DOING GOOD SO FAR SO GOOD IN MY LPN SCHOOL AND OMG MATH IS MY FEARRR I FEEL LOST WITH DOSAGE CALCULATIONS! MY TEACHER CONFUSES ME I don't WANT TO FAIL OUT BECAUSE OF MATH I've MADE IT THIS FAR...ANY TIPS OR HELP OR EXPERIENCES WILL BE GREATLYY APPRECIATED ANYONE ELSE EVER FEEL LIKE THIS? ...I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT I CAN DO THE EASY ONES EX CAPSULES I GET VERY VERY CONFUSED WHEN ITS LIQUIDS...ALSO, IS THIS REALLY ALL THE MATH NURSES NEED THROUGHOUT SCHOOL ? THIS AND IV DRIP RATES...I JUST WANT TO STUDY ALL THIS AND UNDERSTAND IT I AM SOO NERVOUS.....!

[Christine2009]

The book Calculate with Confidence is what we are using in our program. It starts out taking you through basic math and leads you into the calculations for medications. You are taught three ways to calculate the drugs, and my instructor told us to find the method that works best for you and go for it. For myself, Demmential Annalysis is what works best for me. Also, in converting Kg to G, Mg to MCG, this is what I was told to do...

At the top of your paper put:

K G Mg Mcg

each symbol repesents 3 spaces so you move the decimal 6 spaces to convert Kg to Mg ...

when you have to convert from Kg to G remember that you go over 3 decimal spaces to the right.

ie: 1.5 Kg = 1500 g

If you need to convert to Mg you would move over 6 decimal places to the right

1.5 Kg = 1500,000 Mg

Coverting Mcg to Mg you would go 3 decimal spaces to the left

1.5 Mcg = 0.0015 Mg

HTH!

[Anne36, LPN]

Hi, I just started pharm and have been working in my dosage calculations book. I was working on drop rates last night. Today I am doing some more of the IV calculations. So far so good.

[ejm99]

eeeewwwww...math!

I'm in LVN school too and we are just beginning Pharm....which translates to "you MUST pass a medical math test with a 90 before proceeding". Which is ej speak means "your in he$%!"

So...I went to my local used bookstore and bought 2 different older med. math books to practice. I started over the holiday.

I do better when I can actually HOLD a syringe in my hand, fill it w/ water etc...so I've been doing all kinds of little math experiments w/ my household measure stuff, a little cup that is callibrated.. etc... it really helped me to 'get' the conversions before I decided to try to actually SOLVE a problem.

We are very much on our own to learn how to do the math...

so my books are really coming in handy so far.

I say practice practice practice and don't let your anxiety trick you into losing your confidence that you CAN do it.

In all honesty....everyone knows a nurse that maybe isn't the best example of what we think a nurse SHOULD be....think of the craziest, dumbest, or just plain most ridiculous thing that person has said....and then remember SHE PASSED medical math and Pharm. If she can do it...so can you!!!!!

[alwayschanging]

Just thought I would throw my in. We used the want over have times soulution, just like some of the other posters have used. And when it comes to IV math its not that bad.....

They usually ask things like if you have 1,000 ml of NS (normal saline) running for 10 hrs and your Drop rate is 10, what are your Drops per min

so you take 1,000 / 10 to get how much is going an hour = 100

then you need to find out your rate at a min so take your rate an hour which was 100 and divide by 60 (cause there are 60 mins in an hour) so 100/60 which = 1.66

SO then you take your rate per min x's your drop factor 1.66x10=16.66 and becacse you can only count whole drops your round, so your DPM is 17.

And basically what that means is if you do not have a pump , you will stand there and count 17 drops in one minute to know you are infusing the fluid at the right rate. They also will ask for other information .. Like if 1,000 is hanging at 0700 what will be hanging at the end of your shift ( assuming your on a 8 hr shift)ml, just take your rate an hour xs 8 and subtract that from 1,000 which is 200, :) and you'll have to hang a bag before you leave.

It sound like a lot but it really isn't just think them through. We had to pass our med math with 100%, I missed the first test by one question, and then i got it on the second try. Our Pharm teacher is the best, shes a really really good teacher. If you have any specific questions you need help working through you can PM me and i will see what i can do.

You can do anything you set your mind to, stay positive and dont lose faith.

[Tricia76]

Oh this is my biggest fear to..Math is a frightening word to me LOL!

[Jitana101]

I just joined this site. I know you posted many months ago, however I have been a nurse for many years and at times have also suffered with med math anxiety. I got lucky and found the site (DosageHelp.com) This site takes you step by step with easy to understand instructions, examples, and practice sessions on all types of med calculation. Even with my years of experience I still go unto the site to keep my med math skills. I wish you the best in your career. I have also posted this to help others who may be going through the same problems. keep in touch and let me know if it helped. :) :)

[cma626]

I'm scared and excited at the same time! I have my drug cal classes on Friday! I've always been terrible at math, I get nervous and I tend to doubt my answers. I've taken college algebra twice and failed it both times

[Wannabeeinscrubs, ADN, LPN, RN]

Google pharmacy-tech-study and there is a TON of help.