How important is statistics in nursing and nursing school?

Nursing Students General Students

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In the program that I applied to we have to take Statistics class. I'm currently taking it this summer, but I'm not learning anything from it. I took it as an online class because its the only one that fits in my schedule. In this class, our instructor gives us powepoints that is made by the book company, we have to take chapter quizzes online and we can take it how many times we want. The test questions came from the chapter quizzes, so in the test the only thing that I studied is the chapter quizzes. I only memorize/familiarize the questions and answers from the quizzes and I makes high A's. I don't even ready my books. So yeah, I'm kinda worried about not learning from this class because it might give me some negative effect in Nursing School.

I never used it at all in nursing school

Statistics wasn't required for my AAS in Nursing (RN) and I graduated from the program. I don't feel like I missed anything by not having statistics although I do like math.

Specializes in Intermediate care.

Unless you go into Nursing Research you will never use it.

It is my opinion that having an understanding of statistics will help you just generally be able to understand the healthcare field with more depth. Basic patient care does not necessarily need a strong statistics background, but I can't imagine being able to move up in the field if one can't explain what a statistical significance is or it's relevance to medicine. This is one of the differences between an ADN and BSN prepared nurses :D

Specializes in Peds and PICU.

I have an ADN and didn't need stats for nursing school but I did for my other BS. It hasn't changed my nursing practice but I have found it helpful when reading studies.

On a different note, I had a health ed professor tell us that statistics are to be taken with caution as they never imply cause and effect. Statistics can be skewed any way the surveyor wants them to be taken!

Unless you go into Nursing Research you will never use it.

I don't quite agree with this. Having a basic understanding of statistics allows you to read the nursing literature intelligently and can only improve your practice as a nurse. You don't have to actually conduct research in order to benefit from it. Some nursing research is good. Some is junk. Knowing a little about statistics helps you make that determination. A basic statistics class isn't going to give you the tools to really use it anyway, but it will help you understand it.

Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

I have a BSN and never took stats. It has not impacted my nursing practice. But then again, maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

thank you so much for the replies..

I did took some Statistics in high school which was a dual enrollment class, the class was Pre-calculus and Statistics, but we never really went in depth with statistics though.I couldn't drop the course because I already got in to nursing school and I have to finish this before fall semester. It's such a relief to hear its not really that important.

It was required for my BSN program and we used it whenever we did evidence based practice stuff. I second a basic understanding of statistics as important in healthcare. It's just part of being scientifically/medically literate.

I don't quite agree with this. Having a basic understanding of statistics allows you to read the nursing literature intelligently and can only improve your practice as a nurse. You don't have to actually conduct research in order to benefit from it. Some nursing research is good. Some is junk. Knowing a little about statistics helps you make that determination. A basic statistics class isn't going to give you the tools to really use it anyway, but it will help you understand it.

It was required for my BSN program and we used it whenever we did evidence based practice stuff. I second a basic understanding of statistics as important in healthcare. It's just part of being scientifically/medically literate.

I have to add my vote to these to comments. An understanding of statistics and how ethical, unbiased research should be conducted is essential to EBP. Without it, you will be lead by the nose anywhere that a writer wants to take you when reading scientific literature.

It is important not only to read and understand research to engage in EBP, but also to further your education, as many graduate nursing programs require a minimum of a B in stastics to be accepted into their program.

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