Dosage Calculations Exam

[Saalbunch]

I work for a 3 year BSN program. We give a dosage calculation exam every quarter. As of right now, the students get 20 questions and they are limited to 2 minutes per question. I know can change this policy as far as the time limit goes. What are your thoughts? I feel it's important that we make sure we are providing safe nurses who will take the time to figure out the math but at the same time, I feel there should be a time limit.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

[Girlafraid13]

It really depends on the type of questions that are being asked. When I was in nursing school calculations are where many students struggled and needed more than 2 mins to get an answer.

[Annieb2]

Hello Saalbunch,

Two minutes is adequate time for a medication calculation problem for undergraduate BSN nursing students. In complex critical care intravenous titration medication calculation problems, one may want to add another minute only for that specific problem.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

If they are towards the mid or end of the program, they should be able to calculate a normal med calculation in 2 minutes.

[Glycerine82, LPN]

As a Student, I got through my dosage calculation exams with an average of a lot less than 2 minutes a question, BUT if I were timed, I think my nerves could have gotten the best of me.

There is so much pressure to get things right, often times I do take longer on certain questions because I check and re-check to be sure I am correct.

Another thought I have, is that I wouldn't want someone to get used to rushing through calculations.

Have you considered giving a time limit for the exam, which averages 2 minutes/question? Then students can take slightly longer if they need to on certain questions if they can breeze through others.

Just my .02

[JBudd, MSN]

I would look at the stats on previous exams, how many turned in were incomplete? If there are many, then increase the time. How many failed? If the majority are passing and completing the test, I would say the standard 2 mins/question is okay.

I used to teach med calc, and had some finish very quickly; I would start grading those and just give the extra time for the strugglers to get done; unfortunately, some of them took will over an hour to do 17 questions. I had the luxury of the entire class period, so didn't have to limit the time. This was their first course, they had to do the quizzes every semester later, a very few would not pass later on and have to leave the program.

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

If you absolutely insist on having a time limit, I would say titrate the time to their level of experience. In other words I would say start off with allowing 5 minutes per a calculation and as time goes on decrease that time limit as they get more proficient at it.

I don't think its a good idea to teach students that they need to rush through drug calculations, that could be dangerous in the real world!! The idea is not to take your time doing them and be a slow poke, but also they need to know to take time to make sure the calculation is correct and cross check with another nurse, especially for critical medications such as pressers.

You may be creating a 'monster' for the real world, one that gets into the habit of thinking there is a time limit for calculations because that is what they were taught in school, and this could result in a patient's death. Remember these nurses are entry level when they get out into the real world and most likely will have a preceptor helping them with calculations in the beginning, and they will speed it up once they become accustomed to the different medications used in their area.

My honest opinion is put a time limit on the test as whole (so they get 30 minutes or an hour), that way they don't associate drug calculations with needing to rush.

Ask yourself what happens when you are in a rushed and the pressure is on for you to do math or think critically... mistakes happen!

Annie