How is Math handled in your program?

PennyNickelDime_RN · Oct 19, 2003

My school requires College Algebra I and College Algebra II. It's ridiculous.

mitchsmom · Oct 19, 2003

Do 'yall have any good websites for nursing math? I have pharmacology next semester and I'm already scared - I suck at math!!

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Oct 19, 2003

My school requires College Algebra and Statistics. With our Calculations exam you need to pass with 100% and you can have one chance to re-take it.

Guest20074 · Oct 19, 2003

My school requires College Algebra for admission into the program and then once we're in, we have to take a math test each semester. Then on top of that, we have to make 90% or more and we have three tries before we are kicked out.

Nurse2bSandy · Oct 20, 2003

My program requires 3 maths before the actual nursing... college alg, stats and a general math class. Then for the nursing program you have to take math for meds with a 90% pass rate. It's a 1 credit course, about 10 weeks. If you don't pass you don't move on. You can take it several times, but you stay where you are in the program... or basically put the program on hold until you pass math for meds. I am finding it one of my easier math classes. Many people have failed it already after 5 tests though. I think that the problem that most have with it is the fear of failing... they psych themselves out and make silly mistakes.

We want our nurses to know what they are doing, so I hope that all of us can make 100% before they pass out drugs!

Altra, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2003

In my diploma program, math is handled this way ...

Either Algebra I & II at the high school level, or College Algebra are required as pre-requisites before you can be considered for admission.

In Nursing Concepts I we will take a math test in Nov. If you don't score a 90 or better, you are required to attend an individualized review session, then you try again. If you don't score at least 90 on the second try, you can't progress in the Nursing Concepts class. You can continue with the other college classes - A&P, micro, nutrition, etc., but your progression in the program will be delayed a year. I'm not sure if you get an F on your transcript for nursing concepts or if you can withdraw and get a W.

The book we're using is Math For Meds, 8th ed. (Curren & Munday). We'll continue to use it throughout the nursing courses.

Good luck everyone!

~Leigh

wv_nurse 2003 · Oct 20, 2003

http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/default.html

This is a great site for math--it has a tutorial section, and sections with quizzes--I recommend it highly!

twarlik · Oct 20, 2003

Originally posted by wv_nurse 2003
http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/default.html

This is a great site for math--it has a tutorial section, and sections with quizzes--I recommend it highly!

Yes, I second that recommendation! I used that site quite a bit. It really helped.

Mandylpn · Oct 20, 2003

At my school we have an entrance test including math, you have to get a certain % to pass, if you do not you must take basic math, then you can go on to medical dosages math. We had a math quiz in pharmacology, and then there is a math quiz before each clinical rotation on which you must get 80% to pass and be able to go. You are allowed two attempts only. then you must sit out until the next semester's clinicals start and try again. This just happened to me last week. I have also had pre-algebra, not required for LPN.

sashibeak · Oct 21, 2003

Blimey! We had to do Math prereqs, plus Pharmacology dosage calcualtions. Now I am in the program and we have a Math test every week.

It's the bain of our lives, but you know what??????????? We need it. I don't want to be a nurse who phones the pharmacist to find out the dosage equivalent................. I should be able to do it myself.

I feel sorry for your friend though. They are toughening down on the Math side. I'm suprised she didn't have to take a Math prereq.

LydiaGreen · Oct 24, 2003

I have three pieces of advice for you... (I had 100% in my math for meds course in first semester despite my highest math grade in high school being only 63%).

#1 - READ THE QUESTION!!! THEN, READ IT AGAIN!!! Many of the questions are written with erroneous information that is not pertinent to the answer... make sure you read the question carefully before madly trying to find the answer.

#2- Find one formula that works for you and keep using it... for med calcs you can use the formula method or the ratio method... one classmate had to redo the final exam because she kept using the ratio method, cross multiplying in the wrong direction and getting the wrong answer. I taught her the formula method (although I only ever use the ratio method myself) and she aced the retest.

#3-DON'T USE A CALCULATOR!!! Most mistakes are made in the simple mathematics part of a question... if you rely on calculators when studying, you won't pass the test (we were not allowed calculators on our tests). And, as my practicum instructor noted, you will not always have a calculator on hand in practicum... batteries fail, power fails, etc. Look at the big blackout not that long ago and the problems where none of the nurses could figure out drip rates for gravity IV's because they hadn't done any math since graduating and relied on IV pumps to figure it out for them.

You need basic math to figure out anything. In practicum, your instructor will put you on the spot and ask math related questions... you had better be able to do simple mathematics in your head or on a piece of paper. One student was flunked out of fourth semester because she couldn't figure out a med dose... she calculated an IV med at nearly 4 times the dose... wouldn't have been good at all for the patient. The instructor gave her an additional fifteen minutes to figure it out... she couldn't do it without a calculator and was failed out of the course.