Failed LPN Calculation Test

rdop5388 · May 10, 2008

I can feel your pain. Yes I was one of the ones dismissed for missing one on the med cal test in my last semester. And dumb me went back and was dismissed again in the last semester for not passing the foley cath checkoff two weeks before graduation. My grades were good. So yes I went back for more and will graduate in 4 weeks from another program. I should have went to another program after my first med failure. It seems alot of schools have the weed out process. All I can say is don't give up. So three years later I will finally be a LPN. And I am going to make it because my school does everything they can to get the students through the program. Hang in there

kkl4908 · May 10, 2008

I can feel your pain. Yes I was one of the ones dismissed for missing one on the med cal test in my last semester. And dumb me went back and was dismissed again in the last semester for not passing the foley cath checkoff two weeks before graduation. My grades were good. So yes I went back for more and will graduate in 4 weeks from another program. I should have went to another program after my first med failure. It seems alot of schools have the weed out process. All I can say is don't give up. So three years later I will finally be a LPN. And I am going to make it because my school does everything they can to get the students through the program. Hang in there

I just want to say thank you. Congrats to you on your upcoming graduation. :nuke:

Jules A, MSN · May 10, 2008

Hi,

We also lost quite a few from the first dosage test but the good news is that once you get it you will be golden for the rest of them. Find out where you made your errors and focus on that area. If you are at all cloudy on how to do the calculations, drip factors etc. you must figure that out and commit it to memory. What I did was do the entire exam twice and one time it saved me from a silly math error. We had to have 100%. Hang in there, take a deep breath and just do it!

bluegeegoo2, LPN · May 10, 2008

Wow! We were allowed to miss 2, and still pass. It was great while in school, but the reality of what would have been 2 med errors in 20 pts kind of scared me. I asked for practice questions from the staff and went over the results with them. I worked and re-worked problems out of the "dosage calculations" workbook we had. I asked others who seemed to have a handle on them. I prayed. After I finished the tests, (we had 4 or 5, I can't remember exactly how many now), I started over and went through them all from scratch again, and managed to catch errors myself. If I had time left, I'd start over again. Remember to breathe while your taking the exam. Nice, slow breaths to help keep anxiety down and to help you focus on the task at hand. If necessary, close your eyes, breathe, and tell yourself "I can do this". Nursing school is soooo stressful that we tend to "psych" ourselves out and make mistakes we wouldn't if we were calmer. You'll do fine.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 10, 2008

I heard that my school started doing this to the RN program. Each semester, they have a medical dosage exam; you cannot use a calculator and you have a very short time to answer like 15 questions. I know I would have failed. To this day, I carry a calculator with me for this purpose. If I were asked to do it from my head, I would have failed. I do understand the purpose of doing this, but really, unless you are doing calculations every day once you are a nurse, it is another skill that will be forgotten.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 10, 2008

Oh, I'm sorry...I wish you the very best of luck. Keep practicing over and over again until you get it.

starbucksnurse · May 11, 2008

Hi KKL,

Do you belong to a study group? Maybe you and others in your class can help each other. I had a problem....more like a fear of med calc. I was very determined and did extra homework problems just so I could stay ahead. I had the highest grade in the class. My teacher, Ms Luby, was wonderful and when she saw any puzzled looks on my face, she wouldn't go any further until I understood. Bottom line...if a teacher will not stop to teach you, then he or she needs to be reported. That's what they are getting paid to do. :twocents:

kkl4908 · May 11, 2008

Thanks for the advice. I am doing extra work on this, will stay after and get the help also. There are some students that are really good in math and have been very helpful. I am determined. I do feel the same way teacher needs to be reported, and she was several times by several students and unfortunatley no one has done anything. So the way all the students feel is that nothing has been done and just need to get through. thanks again

kkl4908 · May 11, 2008

I agree. Thanks

Jules A, MSN · May 11, 2008

Funny thing is that in LPN school we were not allowed to use a calculator but in RN school we were. :)

FWIW I'd really get out of the mindset of wanting to "report" professors.

Harboring the anger imo tends to push off some of the responsibility and the truth is that a majority of students will graduate and if you want to be one it is your responsibility to learn the material no matter how badly it is taught. It is important to fly below the radar and just do the work.

Yes it is their duty to teach us but the bottom line is that it is our responsibility to make sure we understand what we need to be successful as a nurse. If the majority of the class is doing ok I think that they are doing their job given the amount of material and limited time frame. If for some reason we don't understand the information imo we need to whatever is necessary to figure it out.