Does your school use dosage calc software and clickers?

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Aug 19, 2010

My school uses ProCalc, and I like it. I haven't heard of any students complaining about it, either.

We also use clickers, but I have only used it one nursing class - critical care. It was nice because we clicked for NCLEX/test-like questions and we can see how we did but the instructors didn't count clicking for points. If ALL of my nursing classes used clickers, I think that would be a good idea. I know some students (including myself) were a little frustrated having to buy a clicker for an 8-week class when using the clicker itself didn't count. Overall I find clickers easy to use. I think we had eInstruction but I'm not sure.

tarheelchick3113 · Aug 20, 2010

We used eDose and I didn't find that it was any help. My teacher solely depended on that for teaching us calculations, though. I really struggled, and still do, because I had to rely on just that program to learn how to do med calculations. I'm sure it's helpful to some, but I just didn't learn from it.

Kringe38 · Aug 20, 2010

I haven't used any dosage calc software so I can't comment on that. The nursing program I'm in doesn't use clickers, but the instructor I had for microbiology did use them and I thought how useful they would be in the nursing program. Too bad my program doesn't use them - would be great for NCLEX practice IMO.

CharlieT · Aug 20, 2010

My school does use a clicker device, not sure what brand. It is easy to use. For drug calculations we use brain power along with a $2 calculator. I like it and wouldn't give you two cents for any drug calculation software.

sneakymom2011 · Aug 20, 2010

We have a clicker (Turning Point software). But we also have distance learning students, the software never worked for them from day 1 a year ago, so it's not used. And we paid for that and it irks me :mad:

There was a math program (that I still have access to) to learn dosage calculations. I think I used it for the first test, then I had my husband- who loves math- explain it to me and I never used the software again. And it kind of irks me b/c I paid for it :mad:

We did have something called MedsPub that was bought out by ATI. They just gave us a class on how to use it yesterday. It sounds good, I need to go ask one of my classmates for the codes so I can take a demo test. The only thing we have to use it for are the end-of-course exams. And we have to remediate on those tests for 30 minutes or we can't sit for the final. I don't think there's math software with the ATI site b/c we've learned all the math that we need to know for the whole nursing curriculum. We get a test that we have to take for every course, but after the 3rd level you don't learn anything new.

Cheryl

epinephRN · Aug 29, 2010

Thank you all for the responses! I appreciate your feedback!

starmickey03, MSN, RN · Aug 29, 2010

Our nursing program uses the iClicker and I love it. Its even used for attendance, which is really helpful since the instructor doesnt have to call out every single students name.

But during every class the instructors have a series of questions after lecture and we have to buzz in our answers. This is much better than the traditional way when a teacher would ask a question and just pick on one student to answer the question. By using the clickers the instructor can view everyones responses and see how many got the question wrong or right and alter their teaching methods accordingly.

And to top it all off, the clickers are fun!