How much math do you do in your daily life?

PAERRN20 · Aug 21, 2009

I also took up to trig in high school as well. For nursing, the most advanced math you'd be using is basic algebra. Also you can use the calculator and check with other nurses if you are not sure. Don't let this hold you back from pursing a career in nursing.

PICNICRN, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2009

I use math daily... that being said- I mostly use the same calculations(mcg/kg/min, mg/kg/h, ordered dose vs on hand, ect)..... ALso, we always check our calculations with another RN and we double check our IV drip rates too. When you use the same calculations all the time it just becomes second nature- but you will always have someone double check so that you do not make a mistake.

Don't le the math worry you at all- we're talking very basic math!

JustEnuff2BDangerous, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2009

I, for one, suck horribly, HORRIBLY in math. I'm talking I got a D in Geometry in high school horrible. I can't even hardly do basic algebra anymore, I can't add or subtract more than single digits in my head most of the time (seriously, I suck), but one thing I DO rock at is dosage calculation, strangely enough. If you give me enough time I can figure out pretty much any dosage calc problem and get it right the first time. I was very scared about math in nursing too, especially since one of my prereq classes for nursing school was Introduction to Probability and Statistics (which I have not used a day in my life since), but I passed every dosage calc test with flying colors, and I was so proud!

Also, as the poster above said, its always a good idea (and in some hospitals, a policy) to have another RN double check your dosage calc using their own method (because everyone does it differently) to make sure you both arrive at the same answer. Then you can sleep peacefully at night without agonizing over whether or not you got that dosage right. :) Don't let something like math hold you back from this, a simple search on Google for "dosage calculation practice" will show you how much opportunity there is for you to master it!

dishes, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2009

I too suck at math but was able to do all the drug calculations in nursing school.

In my day to day nursing, the only math I do is basic math, no drug calculations.

michelle_d · Aug 22, 2009

Thanks guys. That's very good news for me to hear! I'm pretty sure I'm going to go into nursing, and that was one of the issues that was troubling me.

GeauxNursing · Aug 22, 2009

As the above said, don't let math hold you back from nursing! We use calculators! And you'll learn the way to set the equations up so you never forget them, seriously.

DeeAngel · Aug 22, 2009

I never even got as far as taking algebra in high school. All our IVs are on pumps with same drip rates so there are no rate calculations. As far as dosage calculation it's pretty much whether to give 1 or 2 tablets, or half a tablet. Since we are all computerized the computer reminds us of the correct dose when we sign the meds out of the Omnicell AND when we scan the patient and the drug to administer it.

For everything you need to know about nursing math the book Calculate With Confidence by Gray Morris will take you step by step through everything you need to know about dosage calculation and drip rate calculation. I recommend this book for every nurse as part of their own personal reference library and I think it's a must have for every student whether required or not.

Despite not doing math in real life many schools will include some on their exams and many workplaces give nurses math tests as part of the interviewing process or orientation. Despite not really using it IRL, you must prove you are actually able to do it.

michelle_d · Aug 23, 2009

Oh, thank you for the book recommendation! I'm going to pick that one up. I'm glad to know that math isn't something that will block me from being a nurse if I decide to go down that path.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 23, 2009

I am also a math phobe, but get by. I probably used calculations twice in my 3 year career as a practical nurse. I think, however, that it depends on where you work. As an LPN, I would not be working in ICU, so, no need there. Some of my LPN friends work in peds inpatient and told me that they used it often to recheck doses.

I work in a GYN clinic and the other day, a doctor asked me to teach a person how to inject heparin. I had to use calculations then in order to teach her how to come up with the correct dose to put in her syringe, and thank goodness I did, because I found that the calculation was wrong. I did have to do it with another nurse, but I did it first because another nurse was not yet available, and when she checked, she agreed with me, so we had to go back to the doctor and have him redo. Otherwise, I have not used it much.

In my daily life, I balance my checkbooks, add bills, etc., but, I have not found nursing math to be as bad as I thought. And, as I said, I hate math.