How much math did you use in nursing school?

Rita_RN_BSN · Jul 4, 2007

Ouch, that posting from your college announcements is harsh! :uhoh3: Anyways, when I was in pre-nursing classes, it was mandated that I take a statistics course, which you will actually use along the line when you take Nursing Research (I'm not sure if Nursing Research's offered only for the BSN program). Um, & when I was a junior, at the start of each semester, before we could set foot in a hospital for clinicals, we had to get a 90% on a math test to check our competency in regards to medication administration. Senior year, we had to get a 100%, not a 90% anymore. I have to say a lot of people stayed back a year, due to those tests. I know some other BSN programs are mandating something like that nowadays. You should inquire to see what they really mean with, "math competent".

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jul 5, 2007

we had lots. you had to get a 95% on every math test offered at the begining of the semester , you had 3 tries i think, if you fail your out of the program. many people failed. math was not my strong point but somehow it just got easier and i got through the program and graduated. many people failed because of the math tests.. kinda sad.

suzy253, RN · Jul 5, 2007

Lots of math in nursing school. as above poster said, one exam prior to each semester--just math, dosage calculations alone. given 3x to pass. And always math questions on each exam.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 5, 2007

There really is a fair amount of math in nursing classes. However, that doesn't mean that you need to give up! Tutoring, as well as simply doing the assignments conscienciously, should cover most of it, if not all of it.

I was absolutely NEVER good in math. To be honest, I don't think I'm good NOW: difference is, I pay attention to what is being asked, and make sure I answer it. If I have a situation at work where I have to know how long a time I need to infuse something over, I work it out. Make sure it makes sense.

That's really all it is: making sure that what you've answered makes SENSE. After all, if you get an answer of 20 tablets....does that make sense? Ok, try it again. Work it out.

I was never good in math, and yet when it came to the classes I needed for nursing school, I finished algebra with a 98.5 gpa. Probably because I was a helluva lot more motivated than high school! :)

cousx2 · Jul 5, 2007

We used a lot of math as well in my nursing school. I've always been pretty good at math so I didn't have much problem with it, but I tutored several of my fellow classmates who had trouble with it. The trick is know what your are being asked, and find the approach to the math problem that works for you because there is always more than one way to solve it and still get the correct answer. My advice is, if you find it's difficult for you, get tutoring immediately, don't fall behind, and don't get frustrated. Keep practicing--do the problems over and over and over--and you'll get it.

asgirl · Jul 5, 2007

Where I attend (a 3 year program) you must get 100% on all of the maths tests (from the beginning) and in the 1st year you get 3 attempts to pass but in 3rd year you only get 2 attempts and the 2nd attempt is only given after having passed the rest of the assessment for that course. If you do not pass you are not kicked out of the program but you are made to resit the course which if you are on a scholarship generally means you lose your scholarship.