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Discussion

Do you need math?

I am currently taking College Algebra for my Pre Nursing Major. Its hard, but not the HARDEST thing in the world, and I also have to take Statistics after this. so I had a few questions.

1. Do you use college algebra daily as a nurse?

2. Do you use stats as a nurse?

3. Can I have a senario of where math would be used?

4. Whats the hardest math that you have to do as a nurse on a daily basic

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    • Featured Replies

    LOL yes sweetie you need math everyday , everywhere.

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    Like I said on the other thread, not a nursing student or nurse...but if you are doing research or trying to comprehend someone else's research, you need to understand statistics. As far as other math, I don't know, but I would guess that having a good grasp of math is useful to nurses.

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    • Guides

    Most nursing programs have a medication calculation proficiency exam at the start of each semester that you need to demonstrate competency on in order to progress. Most of these are dimensional analysis type problems. You might not need calculus to be a nurse, but basic math can mean the difference between life and death for a patient.

    1.) Yes.

    2.) Yes.

    3.) Calculating dosages, drip rates, ANCs, BMIs, fluid replacements, etc.

    4.) In research, some pretty complex math and stats. In practice, some dosage and rate calcs can be fairly complex.

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    Yes, you will most definitely need math. Will you need to whip out a number for a derivative of a function? Absolutely not. It's more like Chemistry math--a lot of multiplying and dividing.

    An example might be:

    Bob is a patient with *insert debilitating illness here*. He has an order for 0.2g of BLAH. The vial of BLAH reads 5mg/ml. How many mLs would you give Bob?

    0.2 g x (1000mg/g) x (1mL/5mg) = 40mL

    It gets more complicated than that, but the gist is... it's still basic math!

    As far as Statistics goes, it's just used for Research. It's good to have an understanding of it, but you won't be using statistical math in your everyday work. Unless, I suppose, your everyday work IS research.

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    It's more like Chemistry math--a lot of multiplying and dividing..
    Right! As a nurse you will be responsible for administering drugs that when given in the wrong dose may be lethal. The math you need to know is not complex, but you really have to know it.
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    • Experts

    dosagehelp.com - helping nursing students learn dosage calculations check this out for a fraction that you will use everyday on a regular nursing floor.

    [h=1]mass/liquid for liquid questions[/h]given an amount of mass per liquid, how much liquid do you require?

    formula:

    [table=class: formula]

    [tr]

    [td][table=class: fraction]

    [tr]

    [td=class: numerator]ordered[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]

    [td=class: denominator]have[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    [/td]

    [td]x volume per have[/td]

    [td]= y (liquid required) [/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    example: phenytoin (dilantin), 0.1 g po, is ordered to be given through a nasogastric tube. phenytoin is available as 30 mg / 5 ml. how much would the nurse administer?[table=class: example]

    [tr]

    [td][table=class: fraction]

    [tr]

    [td=class: numerator]ordered[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]

    [td=class: denominator]have[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    [/td]

    [td]x volume per have[/td]

    [td]= y (liquid required) [/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    convert 0.1 g to mg.

    • mcg ← mg ← g ← kg ( x by 1,000 )
    • 0.1 g x 1,000 = 100 mg

    [table=class: example]

    [tr]

    [td][table=class: fraction]

    [tr]

    [td=class: numerator]100 mg[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]

    [td=class: denominator]30 mg[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    [/td]

    [td]x 5 ml[/td]

    [td]= 16.7 ml[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    example: ordered lasix 40 mg iv push now. available: 80 mg in 1 ml. how much will the nurse draw up?[table=class: example]

    [tr]

    [td][table=class: fraction]

    [tr]

    [td=class: numerator]ordered[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]

    [td=class: denominator]have[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    [/td]

    [td]x volume per have[/td]

    [td]= y (liquid required) [/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    [table=class: example]

    [tr]

    [td][table=class: fraction]

    [tr]

    [td=class: numerator]40 mg[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]

    [td=class: denominator]80 mg[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

    [/td]

    [td]x 1 ml[/td]

    [td]= 0.5 ml[/td]

    [/tr]

    [/table]

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