I Need help with Medical Math...

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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hello there. i'm not an lpn as of yet, but i will be in 2008 permitting if i pass the test. i'm not really good in math and i have disliked it all my life. as you know, nurses need a lot of math in order to do doseage calculations, ht. and wt., surface area, drug doseages for peds, monitoring iv, giving im, sq, or id injection etc...i hope math won't be my downfall as a nurse because i really love nursing! does anybody have any suggestions about an easier way to do mental math for drug calculations??? any help will be appreciated. thank you so much. :):):)

Specializes in LTC, hospice, home health.

peridotgirl- If you've already answered the questions I'm about to ask, please forgive me because I've not read all the postings in this thread.

I'm awful at math, too. I sucked at it in high school, and when I went back to school THREE decades later, I was sure that math would be what would do me in. We had a math teacher who couldn't relate to a flea, so that didn't help at all. What did help was sitting down with someone who understood it and having them explain it to me at the speed that I was able to grasp it.

There are a couple of different ways to calculate dosages, so you should check them out to see which is best for you. But basically what it boils down to is memorizing a couple of formulas and then plugging the numbers into them. Since the NCLEX allows calculators, my school also allowed them. Does yours?

One other thing that you really need to feel comfortable with is conversions. I put mine on index cards and carried them with me.

You CAN do this!!

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Hello We'llsee. How r u? Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it. It is a nice and comforting thought that there is someone out there who isn't good at math.. if u can do math, so can I. I don't really have trouble with the conversions. My problem is simple math, just as dividing and multiplying decimals. I don't know if my teacher will allow me to use calculators and even if the NCELX-PN allows us to use calculators (probabaly not), but I will look into that. I alos have a problem with mental math. I just can't do it in my head, which bothers me bcuase I wil need to be able to do that in Nursing. I mean, what if an emergency arrives and I have to calculate a dosage and I have to do mental math? :nurse::(:(:(

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Specializes in LTC, hospice, home health.

You're sweet to ask, peridotgirl, and I'm doing well! I hate to be spending my Friday afternoon and early evening studying, but oh well! That's my weekend plan as well. I hope you've got some fun planned, though!

As far as being expected to perform mental math while calculating a dosage in an emergency, that's a recipe for disaster! We were taught again and again that you in a clinical setting, you always take the time to calculate and then it's a very good idea to have another nurse double-check your calculations.

While your instructor might want you to be able to perform mental math in a classroom setting, you would not be expected to do so in reality, I promise you!

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You're sweet to ask, peridotgirl, and I'm doing well! I hate to be spending my Friday afternoon and early evening studying, but oh well! That's my weekend plan as well. I hope you've got some fun planned, though!

As far as being expected to perform mental math while calculating a dosage in an emergency, that's a recipe for disaster! We were taught again and again that you in a clinical setting, you always take the time to calculate and then it's a very good idea to have another nurse double-check your calculations.

While your instructor might want you to be able to perform mental math in a classroom setting, you would not be expected to do so in reality, I promise you!

thank u we'll see, so much...I feel soo relieved to know that I wouldn't be expected to do mental math in an emergency.That is a great relief!! yes, I also heard my teacher say that always have a another nurse double check your work; even if u r a math whiz. Well, my weekend plan is anything but fun. I have a ton of HW to do and a majority of it is not even nursing at that. (LOL! it would have been tolerable if it was nursing). sorry to hear that yuo have t stuyd though. I have to study fro my ecomonics test and plus I gotta know my meds for one of the residents that I take care of for clinicals. My teacher said that I wlll be giving meds on Thursday. well, I have to go now. Enjoy ur weekend and thank you for the support. :wink2::wink2::nurse::nurse:

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Hello Missy. I hope you r doing fantastic. I just wanted to say hi and that I hope you r doing good in your math class. I wish u the very best of luck. I've got clinicals tomorow and Ill let u know how they go. Kep me posted okay?? :w00t::w00t:

I am doing ok in math right now and I am still waiting to find out what I got on my math test!!! I am learning how to add, subtract, and multiply fractions and mixed fractions and I am doing ok but I get frustrated sometimes still. I have been really busy with my two online classes & A&P but I am really enjoying A&P!!!! so much fun and next Thursday I get to do an experiment my first one ever:clpty::anpom::anpom::anpom:Keep me posted ok!!! I will let you know how my experiment in lab goes on Thursday ok!!!

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I am doing ok in math right now and I am still waiting to find out what I got on my math test!!! I am learning how to add, subtract, and multiply fractions and mixed fractions and I am doing ok but I get frustrated sometimes still. I have been really busy with my two online classes & A&P but I am really enjoying A&P!!!! so much fun and next Thursday I get to do an experiment my first one ever:clpty::anpom::anpom::anpom:Keep me posted ok!!! I will let you know how my experiment in lab goes on Thursday ok!!!

Hello Missy!! How r u? I am doing okay. Yes please tell me asap when u get ur results for ur math test. and don't wory; I still get frustrated with math too... I know what ur going through. Well, I glad to hear that ur doing okay in ur math classes and that u r excited to start ur A&P. I wish u the best of luck in ur math and A&P class. Yes, please tell me how ur lab for A&P goes. well as for clinicals on Friday, it was good. I got to help my resident eat breakfast and then I did my assessment as usual. My resident is usually in a grouchy mood, but that day she felt pleased; dare I say it; she felt happy. She wasn't angry at the world. That was music to my ears. She was in a good mood and I actually got her to eat which is something that the CNA never got her to do. I felt sooo proud of myself. Additionally, my teacher said that I get to give meds to my resident on Thursday... I can't wait.... well I hope u enjoy ur weekend.. and I'll ttyl... keep me posted... and remeber to check here as well as e mail u whenever u get time.. take care... :wink2::wink2::wink2::nurse:

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okay. so does anyone know how to divide decimals? and which number goes into the little "house"? LOL! for example 37.5 divided by 25? any steps would be highly appreciated... fyi, my Pharm book does how steps on how to do this but I still need clarification.. thank u all.... :):):):nurse:

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
okay. so does anyone know how to divide decimals? and which number goes into the little "house"? lol! for example 37.5 divided by 25? any steps would be highly appreciated... fyi, my pharm book does how steps on how to do this but i still need clarification.. thank u all.... :):):):nurse:

the 37.5 goes into the little "house"; it is the same as 37.5/25

then, i will tell you a little trick i learned:

make the decimal whole number by moving the decimal to the right and add zero to the 25. for example, your original problem is the same as:

375 / 250 = 1.5

angel

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

or sometimes, i like reducing it to the lowest term:

reduce it to lowest term by dividing both numbers by 125

e.g. 375/125 = 3 and 250/125 = 2

so, 3 / 2 = 1.5

same thing.

angel :coollook:

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Specializes in LTC.
okay. so does anyone know how to divide decimals? and which number goes into the little "house"? LOL! for example 37.5 divided by 25? any steps would be highly appreciated... fyi, my Pharm book does how steps on how to do this but I still need clarification.. thank u all.... :):):):nurse:

The number that is BEING DIVIDED goes in the "little house". For example: Your question states "37.5 divided by 25". So, 37.5 in the house, and 25 is "dropping (dividing) by" and is on the front porch! I had never thought of it that way, but I guess if it works for you...BTW, the answer is 1.5.

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the 37.5 goes into the little "house"; it is the same as 37.5/25

then, i will tell you a little trick i learned:

make the decimal whole number by moving the decimal to the right and add zero to the 25. for example, your original problem is the same as:

375 / 250 = 1.5

angel

thank u soo much.. i really appreciate it.. so is it the same case for other problems? like, okay here is an easy one, but for clarification. 1 divided by 4 or 1/4. so does the 1 go into the little house.. lol? thank u...

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
thank u soo much.. i really appreciate it.. so is it the same case for other problems? like, okay here is an easy one, but for clarification. 1 divided by 4 or 1/4. so does the 1 go into the little house.. lol? thank u...

no problem!

and yes you are correct. :yeah:

angel

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