Fail math exam and we are out!!!! Help!!!

[ExTechie]

I am a second year nursing student with a new Director of Nursing. She has turned the program upside down and changed everything. She instituted a policy for 2nd year nursing students that we are given a proctored dose calc, iv calc, peds calc exam with only 10 questions. We need to get a 90% or better and have two chances. If not, we are kicked out of the nursing program. None of the second year instructors agree with this policy or think that it is fair. Does this seem fair? No remediation, no help. We already went through this last year and have passed. Our math tuturing center won't help us because they say it isn't math, it's nursing. 1/3 of us failed yesterday. If we miss one day of clinical (2 days a week) we can be expelled. Do we students have any recourse for all of the money, time and effort we are expending or can they just kick us out despite good grades, excellent clinical feedback and never missing a class. Please someone respond!!!!!!

[Jules A, MSN]

Yes those dratted dosage tests are where we lost a majority of the students that didn't make it. We were also 90% with no calculators.

What I can share with you that helped me tremendously was that since it was only 10 questions I did the entire exam twice. One time I found a simple math error that would have made the whole problem incorrect. The other thing I can share is to try and stay away from the collective "gripe sessions" that are surely happening. It was my experience that the students that hung around moaning about how unfair this thing was did the worst on the test. Let them keep their negative vibes while you get practicing. Good luck!!!

[Bala Shark]

I had to graduate with a 90% dosage calculation test also..If a student does not get 90%, it is 95% the second time..The way, I look at it, if you were a patient in the hospital and you would want a nurse to know how to do dosage calculations..If not, how about an overdose on IV drugs and PO drugs?

In nursing school, it is all about you, but instructors have the pateint safety in mind..I am pretty sure that if you were in a hospital, you would want a nurse giving you the right dosage of the drug all the time!

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

I think that's normal. EVERY semester, we are required to do 20 math/meds questions (many which have more than one part) and pass 100% or we're done.

[tookewlandy]

I had to self tech myself dosage calculations just this past month, and if i can do it anyoen can cause when it comes to math im not that bright. But my adivse would be to go out and buy a math book and there are tons of them out there and start self studying. I chose to self learn the Dimensional Analysis way, but you can chose any style you feel comfortable with. At orientation at my school the director told us that we have to pass a dosage calculation test every semester to pass meds, and we have to pass it with 90% or better or we are out. And she said now before you all get scared, i have never really seen anyone get dropped because of this math tests. At my school she said there are tutors in place and lab tutors who will help you with it and they should have that for you to at your school OP.

[capribry]

we have the same thing but during the 1st semester (not sure about the other semesters) we have to get over a 90% and we get 3 attempts. If you fail, than you fail the semester.

[traumaQN]

We are required to take a dosage and calculation test every semester and it is self taught. On the first day of class we had to sign a piece of paper stating that we were capable of learning the math and that we were aware that our instructors were not qualified to teach math/ that it wasn't a math class.

It was a shock, but what are you going to do? Learn the math.

the book, "Calculations of drug dosages" by Sheila Ogden is super basic. It walks you through every type of math problem step by step and has lots of practice questions and tests.

also, "dosage calculations made incredibly easy" is a great book

[nsgmjr]

We too have to pass calculations. 20 Q's 100% 2 chances. Reasoning if you make a mistake on the floor someone dies! This is our first semester 2nd week of class. Good luck we will all pass and go on to pass medications on the floor. Have faith.

[lisabeth]

I know we were supposed to learn the basic formulas, etc in Pharmacology, but with there only being 4 weeks, we didnt have time.

I did however know this guy that was in the program who showed me some of the different things he knew, and it didnt look that hard. Maybe it was the way he explained it. I cant say I remember that much about what he showed me, but I am hoping at this point the nursing instructor will explain it that good.:nuke:

I can definitly understand the necessity they place on students. I would rather fail out of the program than kill someone.

[truern]

One of the best things I did in NS was make a drug calc notebook. Each semester I'd include the math specific to that semester (for ex: safe and therapeutic dosages in peds, pitocin in OB). I labeled each section according to its content. That way I could easily study for upcoming drug calc tests and had all my practice sheets handy.

Honestly, I never found any of the drug calculations to be "over my head". Don't get overwhelmed by the "math" of it, just look at what you have and what you need...and does it make sense?!

[ladyinred667]

We have to take a Nursing ProCalc exam 5 times. Once before we get in, and then in each of the 4 semesters. Each time the test gets harder and you have to have a higher percentage to pass. By your last term, you are taking the hardest test and you must get 100% to pass. I'm not sure how many chances we get to pass though. I actually have to take mine next week for semester one.

Good luck.

Noelle

[heather2084, BSN]

My program we take a calc test at the beginning and end of each semester. you get 3 chances each time or you fail the course. We lost 3 in our 3rd semester over Pedi dosages

[FNPhopeful]

why are peds dosages harder????????