Algebra in real life

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I am hoping to enter LPN school in January. I ordered the NET study guide and see that there will be algebra problems on the test. I hope this doesn't come off as a totally ignorant question, but I was really hoping any LPNs/LVNs out there who are on the job could give me some real life examples of how algebra is used on the job as an LPN/LVN. Or, if this question has been asked before (I'm new to this website), could someone please give me the link to the forum? Thanks so much!

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Specializes in LTC, Med-Surg, ER.

Congrats on going to school! Yes, we use algebra in dosage calcs etc. I was terribly intimidated by that prospect. I am a math moron and algebra might as well be a foreign language. The difference is, in nursing, algebra is not just an abstract problem in which we find for X. In nursing, there is a reason for finding X and the fomula makes sense! Nursing school pharm was the first time that formulas and equations ever made sense. That is the difference. Don't be scared. Just clear your brain of all of the scary feelings and, in my case, the huge sense of failure that you may have from past attempts at this subject and let it be a new experience. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

We use algebra to solve dosage calculations. However, these dosage calculations would, in my opinion, fall into the realm of elementary algebra. It is similar to the stuff you'd receive exposure to while in 8th or 9th grade. To be honest, I have not had to perform many dosage calculations in the real working world.

By the way, I took the NET last week for entrance into a tech school RN program, and it only had 4 algebra problems. The vast majority of the math portion consisted of decimals, percentages, and fractions. Then again, there are several versions of the NET floating around.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I learn the same way...I have to see relevance of the subject to my daily life and survival to connect and place energy into it. And, as earlier stated by skwlpn, I am also a math moron, but I did survive nursing math and got an A...due to relevance.

I had this problem in chemistry-which is why I dropped the class. Thank goodness, I didn't need chemistry to become an LPN, but I was taking it as a filler, so to speak. Didn't waste my time because I could not connect the dots. I remember asking the professor several times how this related to nursing and he would say that this is a chemistry class, his focus is there. I did not connect to how or why we had to learn BioChemistry-and I thought that the name of the class would mean that it was relevant to what we would consider on a daily basis, and it didn't. I had the same problem in high school, taking geometry and higher levels of algebra because of the same...I kept asking "WHY?"

You will be able to survive nursing math and it can even become fun! I still need my calculator, though...

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skwlpn: I laughed out loud when I read "math moron". Thank you for sharing your story with me. I'm making a complete career change from accounting to nursing and I still think when it comes to algebra, I'm a math moron as well unless I have something "in the real world" to relate it to. You mentioned nursing school pharm...is that something that will come up for me during LPN school?

TheCommuter: Dosage calculations seem to be the common theme here so I appreciate your post. It's making better sense to me now.

pagandeva2000: It's so nice to read I'm not alone in the whole "relating things to real world nursing" here. The replies I've gotten have really helped with the complete mind block I was having as I was envisioning algebra on the job.

Thank you all so much for your posts!

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I am a failure at math, this has been a constant theme in my life and why I avoid certain things. It's one of the reasons why I am doing CNA and not LPN. I gave up on even trying to get my AA because of the math, every class I took that counted frustrated me til I ended up dropping it. No math = no degree :cry:

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I am a failure at math, this has been a constant theme in my life and why I avoid certain things. It's one of the reasons why I am doing CNA and not LPN. I gave up on even trying to get my AA because of the math, every class I took that counted frustrated me til I ended up dropping it. No math = no degree :cry:

I'm so sorry to hear this. I remember one of my basic math professors told me that there are many people who are not where they wish to be in life because of math. What I would consider doing is taking a continuing education course in basic math while you have no pressure and work your way up. At this moment, it may be the best time, since you are not enrolled in any program (that I am aware of, anyhow), and have no one to impress. This is what I did, and believe me, I am totally petrified of anything past multipilcation and division (and even then, if you tell me I cannot use a calculator, I am going to put a hit out on you). I took review math classes three times, and somehow did make it into college without having to take remedials, take the medical dosage math class (and got an A) and be a nurse.

I am still afraid of math, now, to be honest. I am basically comfortable with the simplier formulas to figure out how many mLs and tablets to give, but I flip out still, when I see pediatric conversions or forced to think too quickly. But, I function. I sincerely hope the same for you.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/nursing-math-thread-264395-3.html

check out daytonite posting, she is a math whiz, actually she is whiz in many areas

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I am a failure at math, this has been a constant theme in my life and why I avoid certain things. It's one of the reasons why I am doing CNA and not LPN. I gave up on even trying to get my AA because of the math, every class I took that counted frustrated me til I ended up dropping it. No math = no degree :cry:

My math skills are really poor, too. You are definitely not alone. I struggle with the basics such as integers, fractions, decimals, and percentages. The shameful part is the fact that I was socially promoted through 4 years of algebra at a public high school. Yes, 4 years of college-prep algebra appears on my high school transcripts with relatively good grades, even though I never once learned to balance an equation.

I completed a trade school LPN program that did not have the stringent college algebra requirements that are so common at local community colleges. If it is meant to be, I'll start a trade school RN program next year which is also devoid of the stringent college algebra requirement.

I have realized that college-level math is a gatekeeper course. If you pass it, the gates of opportunity will open wide. If you fail it, the gates might be forever slammed in one's face. If you are weak in a gatekeeper course, you must find a way to pry the gate open. For my situation, this entails taking and passing a series of remedial math courses before I can conquer college algebra.

Unlike English, math is a sequential subject. This means that you must fully master the basics (arithmetic) before you can be able to grasp the higher forms (algebra, geometry, calculus). If you are weak in any early skill, it will hinder your ability to move on. Just take it one step at a time. Good luck!

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Maternal and Child.

When I took pharm in nursing school our instructor always encouraged us to use ratio and proportion. I sure wished my algebra teacher in high school would have let us in on that unique secret. Many of us would have aced algebra.

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Zeethan: I wanted to get into nursing a few years ago, heard about/saw algebra equations, and stopped pursuing my dream because of it. And I like math! But when you have something that you want badly enough, I believe there is a way to make it happen. Despite my fears, I tried nursing again by taking nursing assistant training just this past August. I am now working as a nursing assistant and waiting to take my certification exam in two weeks. Next step...hopefully LPN school.

This site is incredibly helpful. By reading the posts in this thread and going to that link that lpnflorida posted, you will see that you are not alone in this and that there is hope to make this work. As pagandeva2000 said, right now you don't have any pressure to learn the math so it's probably the best time to get started. One idea I thought about after reading your post was that maybe you could find an LPN/RN where you work to tutor you one on one with the math stuff. That way you can have someone who is actually a nurse help you and be able to give you real life, on the job examples to make things more understandable.

I wish you all the best!

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Zeethan, listen to Pagendeva and take a remedial math course. Start with arithmetic and work up.

You HAVE the brains to do this, just a phobia combined with a poor grounding in the basics.

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