I'm in my 9th week of nursing school, first year, and I'm getting pretty good grades, 89% in theory, 94% in clinical (we've only been in the nursing home so far, we go to the hospital after spring break). However, we had our 1st crack at the math proficiency test (dosage calc, dimensional analysis, etc) yesterday and I failed it! We had to get a 95% or better to pass, which means we could only miss one. I ran through the questions, and felt very confident when I turned it in, but I got it back later and I missed four!!!!
This was yesterday and I'm still so upset about it. Now I only have two more chances to pass and my confidence is shot...I was so confident in my answers but now I'm just freaked. And we have to wait a whole month to take it again, now every day I'm going to be wondering if I'm going to fail, because if we can't pass it in 3 tries, we're out! I've never had any doubt that I would be able to make it through the program until now.
Anyone had this kind of experience? Do you guys have to take similiar tests?
I have found a couple of useful websites on dosage calc but I can't seem to find any that deal with the apothecary system. Many of the questions on the test were grains to grams, and I could use the practice. It's not even in my mathbook.
Nadjaa, if you only made simple math errors, why worry? You know what you have to do next time, read the questions carefully, double check your answers and put the decimals in the right places. Now, you have two chances instead of just one last shot. You have to think positive, that you will pass and stop worrying. Good luck to you, I hope you pass the next time you take the exam. Remember put God in it and everything will work out.
I do wish, however, that there weren't so many ways to get kicked out of nursing school.
You're lucky. We only get on chance to retake the test. We have to take the test on the first day of school each semester. Their theory is so if we fail we get our money back for the semester:uhoh3: . If we fail the first time, we retake it within the week. Did you have a clinical calcualtions book? If so, just keep doing and redoing the questions.
Nadjaa, if you only made simple math errors, why worry? .
Because I'm a worrier!!! I have been planning for this for about four years, trying to get everything right with my finances and stuff so I can go to nursing school without working, took the pre-reqs, aced the TEAS, and now here I am, doing so well, and I think about this math test bringing me down and I want to lapse into a catatonic schizophrenia. I'm also used to being an 'A' student, and failure is probably the worst thing I can imagine as far as this goes.
I have to hit a home run here, as it were. I'm almost 30 years old with no career to speak of, and deeply in debt. I want to be a nurse, for the career satisfaction, for the thrill of doing something great with my life and for my fellow man and yes, for the money.
I cannot accept failure, that's why I freak out so much. Thanks all you guys for your advice, and keep it coming.......
You're lucky. We only get on chance to retake the test. We have to take the test on the first day of school each semester. Their theory is so if we fail we get our money back for the semester:uhoh3: . If we fail the first time, we retake it within the week. Did you have a clinical calcualtions book? If so, just keep doing and redoing the questions.
I have Dimensional Analysis For Meds by Curren. It covers DA pretty well, but not apothecary conversions and stuff.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
here you go, nadjjaa.
http://www.delmar.edu/nsci/jartman/1406-conv.htm - a list of most commonly used conversion factors in doing medicine dosage calculations from the chemistry department of del mar college in corpus christi, tx.
http://www.maagnursing.com/medcal/index.php - this is a medication calculation tutorial. you do not have to login or register to do this tutorial! just click here where it tells you to click here and you are in the program! the left side of the screen has the outline of the course so you always know where you are in the program, or you can skip to a part you particularly want to focus on. there are quizzes at the end of the various sections. this is from the university of san francisco school of nursing.
http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/mathindex2.html - basic tutorial on getting started with pharmacology math. at the bottom of this home page is a drop down box where you link into any of the following subjects: common conversion factors/equivalencies, common abbreviations, ratio and proportion, iv problems, titration problems, and pediatric pharmacology math.
http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/default.html -- the start page of this pharmacology math tutorial presented by the nursing department at the san antonio college. by clicking on the "go figure" button you can access quizzes on basic med calculations, iv, pediatric and ob med calculations. the quizzes all have answers. follow the directions.
http://home.sc.rr.com/nurdosagecal/ - med calc for nurses from central carolina technical college. explanations and quizzes (with answers) on the following subjects: measurements, conversions, oral dosages, parenteral dosages, iv flow rates, dose by weight, iv push meds, critical care iv's and tube feeding.
http://www-isu.indstate.edu/mary/tutorial.htm - from the indiana state university a "basics" page on medication math with explanations on how to do a number of different types of medications problems (including iv problems), conversions and dimensional analysis with links to lots of practice quizzes.
http://teach.lanecc.edu/nursing2/info/dosagecomp.pdf -- found this when surfing the internet on dosage calculations. it's a 20 question pharmacology math test from lane community college. it has questions on both oral meds (tablets and liquids) as well as iv drip rates. it shows how the answers to every question is worked out at the end of the test!
http://go.dbcc.edu/hhps/nursing/medication_calculations.html - from daytona beach community college nursing department. this is the home page that links into the above. all kinds of nursing math worksheets of calculation problems with answers for tablets, ivs, peds and ob meds
http://www.testandcalc.com/quiz/index.asp -- this is the section of www.testandcalc.com that you can access for free. it contains four quizzes on metric conversions, tablet dosage calculations, fluid dosage calculations, and iv drop rate calculations. this is a site sponsored by australian nurses, but the tests are still usable. the solution to each question is revealed when you click on the "show me the solution" button. there is also a short "help" section within each test area that is a short tutorial about the subject. each test also includes an online calculator.
http://www.delmar.edu/nsci/jartman/1406-peds.htm - help with pediatric dosages using fried's and clark's rule. there are 8 practice problems listed here with answers from the chemistry department of del mar college in corpus christi, tx.
Thanks....I think my instructors were actually sad for me. I have great instructors. Another thing I keep thinking about, I am the Vice Prez of our class, and I keep thinking how bad it would look if I failed!
I am the president of my class and I failed my math test in 3rd semester. I was devestated, embarrased and scared that I might have to graduate later than planned. I also was confident when taking the test and made simple errors.
I checked out a bunch of math books from the school library. I did the problems over and over and over until I was so sick of math and was dreaming about math all night. Here is a short test online for some more practice: http://www.campus.nvc.cc.ca.us/adnorientation/math_practice.htm
The last thing I would do is look at your final answer and see if it makes sense. 15 tablets? or is it more like 1.5 tablets?
rpv_rn
167 Posts
If your school has a nursing library, check out Pickard text, which focuses on nursing math.