Curious of other schools' policies about MED MATH EXAMS at the start of each semester

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 23, 2011

Seems pretty reasonable, IMHO.

Students are informed when the exams will occur, and have a rather generous two chances to pass before suspension from the program. Back in my day (The College of Staten Island), "Med Dose Calc" was a zero or one credit class (cannot remember), given for six weeks and again IIRC was "P" or "F". The class was taken along with Med Surg I, and if one failed you could continue with that class, but since passing MDC was required to register for the next nursing course (Med Surg II), you were "stuck" until you passed the math class.

Also since this nursing program only allowed one repeat of *any* nursing class, if you didn't pass the math class the second go (and or failed an nursing course afterwards), that was all she wrote and you were O-W-T out.

So you see in any event until one passes nursing math program can and often does suspend progression until the matter is taken care of, which is as it should be. I mean think about it; how can a student nurse be let loose on clinicals if she cannot safely do med passes? Using my oft quoted example, if one scores on average 70% on medical dosage exams, that translates into nearly a quarter percentage error rate. Considering med errors are one of the leading causes of patients having adverse outcomes including death, you can understand why facilities and by extension nursing programs have stepped up concern.

There have been posts here from students both starting nursing school and those near graduation whom have been removed because they did not pass MDC, some only failing by one point (as they tell the story), so there really is only one thing to do. Learn the stuff until you know it backwards and forwards and can reach >90% if not 100%, which by they way are the scores hospitals and others look for when giving new hires math exams.

xilostgirlxi · Jan 23, 2011

I agree, the plan seems fair and generous.

For my program, you are given the exam in the first week, you are encouraged to review on your own time and also given a mandatory online review session where you MUST get a passing score of 90% on all 5 exams (given there is only 10 questions but still need to do well).

If a student gets less than an 80% on the math exam, you are REQUIRED to undergo tutoring for at least a week and then given another opportunity to pass the exam with an 80%. If you do not pass the second exam then you are dismissed from the program, no ifs, ands or buts, simple as that.

And my school requires this for every nursing student at the beginning of every semester, the same rules apply whether you're a semester away from graduating or just beginning. I know my school does not do it to be mean or to get money from the students, but rather to ensure that the nursing student is able to do correct med math. This is not a joke, patients have died from medical math errors and both schools and hospitals do everything possible to prevent these types of errors from happening.

The statistics on med dosaging errors is shocking and quite scary, I think it's a good policy and one that should be enforced. Ya it sucks for the student nurse who fails, but think about if that were a real patient, you might have seriously injured or even killed the individual. In fact, hospitals in NYC are now requiring new nurses to pass a math exam before being hired, and for those exams you need 100%, they won't hire if you miss one question.

Honestly, your school seems pretty fair and generous with their policy, I only wish mine were the same. Just study hard and find your motivation, nursing is not easy, I don't expect earning that degree to be a walk in the park at all.

gtd529 · Jan 23, 2011

In my program, we take them at the end of every semester (right before finals) and we are also given 2 chances to get a 95% or better. If you do not pass the test on the second try, you get kicked out of the program completely. So honestly, the fact that they give you the opportunity to rearrange your schedule if you do not pass it is pretty generous. Good luck!

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 25, 2011

This policy (in various, yet similar variations) is in practice in most every school. It is vital that students master these concepts (whether or not the computer is doing it for you IRL). As an educator, I am noticing that this is a great weakness amongst nursing students. Students learn/memorize for the exams, but are unable to retain it in future semesters.

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 25, 2011

This policy (in various, yet similar variations) is in practice in most every school. It is vital that students master these concepts (whether or not the computer is doing it for you IRL). As an educator, I am noticing that this is a great weakness amongst nursing students. Students learn/memorize for the exams, but are unable to retain it in future semesters.

Sadly this seems not restricted to nursing students, but it seems to have spread to all manner and sort of college/university students. Comes as no surprise as we now are seeing the great masses of young adults whom were educated in primary and secondary school to in "past the exam", that seems to be all that matters.

MadpeysRN · Apr 29, 2011

We get 3 chances to get a 100% or your out. As far as classes you can fail 2, after that your out. Passing is 78%, 77% is FAIL!