Help, Math Challenged!!!

[sasa7383]

I know that I want to be an RN, but I'm scared that I will fail the math part!!! Exactly what math is used and what math should I try to study closely?????

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

it is mostly 8th grade level math. however many programs want students to have knowledge of beginning algebra. in practice as a nurse, the math calculations are really much easier than what they made us do in school. medication math are all word problems. also, there is a nursing lingo that goes along with them. you can see what the problems look like by reading through the posts on the threads below and seeing many of these kinds of problems worked. remember, you are not yet familiar with the lingo so a lot of it won't make sense, but pay attention to the math and what you will see is very simple basic math calculation involving multiplication, often with fractions.

• https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/nursing-math-thread-264395.html - includes weblinks for studying math
  
• https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/dosage-calculations-88867.html
  

[sasa7383]

Thx a bunch Daytonite

[AtomicWoman]

Daytonite is right on target. If you want to get a jumpstart on the math, look up a technique called Dimensional Analysis, if you haven't already learned it in Chemistry. Knowing dimensional analysis really well will help you tremendously in nursing school med. calc. class (I'm taking mine right now). Don't freak out about it; keep looking at websites until you find one that explains it in plain English. But the actual math is VERY basic. Percentages, fractions, being able to determine what it is you are looking for in the answer, being able to tease apart a (simple) word problem -- that's what it's all about. No calculus! LOL

[beth66335, BSN, RN]

I am math challenged as well, I never even took algebra in HS, but nursing math has a purpose so I understand it a lot better than algebra. If I can do it you can do it, you'll be fine. Also, I use Ratio and Proportion for simple calculations like oral medications and syringes and I use DA for IV medications. You can go to a bookstore and look at a medical math book and see what it is like.

[CrunchyMama, ASN, RN]

I'm also very bad at math....the word alone makes me cringe. :barf01: I plan on buying a calculations book midsummer to get a head start. Good luck!