Math Help Please.

Shagce1 · Jan 9, 2015

1st step: figure out total amount of drug given per minute. Next step: set up in dimensional analysis drug/ml = drug/x. Careful that you are using the same units. Cross multiply and divide. I haven't actually done the math on this, but I think this is how I'd set it up.

Shagce1 · Jan 9, 2015

Also, if you are really supposed to be learning all of this on your own I would recommend ordering Currens Math for Meds work book. It is a self study and does a pretty good job of breaking things down. This is the book my program uses and we are self study.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2015

You had to have passed basic algebra to be accepted into nursing school. Now you know why. Go back and review word problems until you remember how to do them.

Bbett, MSN, NP · Jan 9, 2015

Actually a math class isn't required for acceptance into nursing school.

That being said I know a lot of people in my program hate that they have to teach themselves the math. I really like clinical calculations by Joyce Kee. Is there anything in particular that you are having problems with that maybe we could help?

It always seems harder when you first look at it. Once you think it through it will seem so much easier!

Bbett, MSN, NP · Jan 9, 2015

the formula I use for the question you asked is

60 multiplied by my/kg/hr multiplied by kg

Divided by

Solution in micrograms.

That proportion is easiest for me to remember.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2015

But a high school graduation is required for admission, and they usually expect you to have had basic algebra in high school, no? And yes, it's not any more complicated than the class a 15-year-old sophomore does, even if the teacher is the football coach in season. :) And at some point, you ought to have had to have basic chemistry, in which these sorts of calculations are routine.

Nursing school is unusual in that they expect you to retain a good working knowledge of everything you learned before, and to apply it at higher and higher levels as you progress through the program. So don't pass a class, take the exam, and sell the book because you will still be held responsible for its contents, and you may need it later to refresh your memory. Like this.

Think about it, OP:

A med is ordered at the rate of 3mcg/kg/min for an adult weighing 95.9 kg. The solution strength is 400mg in 250ml D5W. CALCULATE FLOW RATE TOTHE NEAREST TENTH.

1) If you're giving 3mcg/kg/minute to someone who weighs 95.9kg, how many mcg is that in that minute? Right, 3 x 95.9 = ? Write that down, and now look at the second part of the question.

2) You have 400mg (which is how many mcg? Look up in your conversion table if you don't remember reliably) in 250cc. So how many mcg are there in 1cc? (I'll wait) Write that down.

OK. So you know you need (how many?) mcg to give in a minute, and you know how many mcg there are in a cc. How many cc do you have to give in a minute (to the nearest tenth of a cc)? Can you figure that out?

That's how you think about this sort of thing. You will get dozens and dozens of such questions, and later on, they'll ask you to figure this out and THEN figure out how many drops per minute or cc/hour. But you'll be good at it by then.

Joyce LeFever Kee is a gem. Her book Laboratory And Diagnostic Testing With Nursing Implications should be on everybody's shelf, too.

Fruit Sucker · Jan 9, 2015

Have you looked at your textbook for the course? It should tell you how to do this. This is a very basic math problem. Not to be rude, but I don't understand why people have so much trouble with this level of math.

If your textbook is really not good, look at Calculate With Confidence. It's used by many nursing programs.

Spangle Brown · Jan 10, 2015

A utube video, about an hour long. This helped me.

Nibbles1 · Jan 10, 2015

Joyce Kee calculations is worth a million dollars in my opinion.

lovinglife2015 · Jan 10, 2015

Not to be rude, but people's brains function differently and people have different aptitude and ability based on education and even genetics. If you're a nurse, you should know that.

Bbett, MSN, NP · Jan 10, 2015

@lovinglife EXACTLY Basic algebra is not a requirement for High School or nursing. And even if it WERE the math for nursing isn't algebra. While the math for nursing is easy for some, it isn't for others.

Before taking classes for my RN-BSN I hadn't had a math class since 9th grade and it was geometry ðŸ˜‚.

Op just keep doing them over and over throughout your program. Eventually you will memorize the formula!