Elementary students need your help

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I teach a class of 4th graders who have a project to complete. They are asking for your help in discussing "how math is used in nursing, by nurses, everyday". Would you give us some help please, and post examples of typical situations? Also, how much math is required before becoming a nurse? What else do we need to know about nursing? They will use this information to create game boards that teach other students what nursing is and how math is used all around.

Thank you.

Bradley Elementary, El Paso, Texas

You need to take college algebra and a statistics class as prerequisites for most nursing programs.

But don't let that discourage anyone! Took me two times to pass statistics (first time I failed miserably, and second time I got an A!)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Many medication dosages are based on a child's weight. You can get examples from a tylenol liquid bottle!

Be able to calculate a person's age from their date of birth.

Be ablet to calculate milligrams to grams, inches to feet...stuff like that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medicine.

Generally understanding the metric and imperial conversion table is important!

Examples of math I come across:

Pt X is ordered 20 mg of oxycontin once a day, the company supplies it in 10 mg tablets. How many pills will the nurse administer? So then the patient will get 2 pills.

Mostly pharmacy has the information all prepared but it's important to do your own checks as anyone is capable of making a medication calculation error. Plus new orders written up for a patient will not be automatically calculated for you if it needs to be given right away. So math skills at the back of your mind will become handy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment