If you say you aren't, then you WON'T be!

[MrsCuoco]

Hello to everyone starting LPN school this week! I started Monday and my head is spinning, but I'm feeling very good about everything. My instructors are great and I've made a lot of friends already!

I wanted to give a little nudge to some of you who say that you're not good in math, or that you can't do math.

If you say you're not good at it, then you won't be. If you say you can't do math, then you won't.

Okay, what I really mean by that is that you got where you are because the powers that be saw in you a potential for learning to become a good nurse. And that means they believe you can learn the math that goes along with it for dosage calculations.

I was the kid crying herself to sleep every night over math and science in middle school and high school. I graduated by the skin of my teeth. When I started college two years ago, I had a teacher who told me that if I said I wasn't good at math or that I couldn't do it then she was wasting her time with me. That it's not about having a talent for it. It's about knowing why you need to learn it, asessing whether that reason is important enough to learn it, and taking steps to do what is necessary for you to grasp it. And there's the priciple of self-fulfilling prophecy too. You are what you tell yourself you are.

About pharmacology calculations: I took a 2 week prep course over the summer. I learned dimensional analysis, and it was virtually painless. It sounds really scary but it's just a way to convert between measurements, that's all. In the month between that class and now I have done a few practice calculations every night. You might not have your pharm calc class every day (mine is only once a week) or have homework every night, but make yourself do some practice calculations every night. NO calculator! I promise, it'll hone your skill and your math confidence!

[Vixxi1]

Great advice! I have NEVER been good at math. Seeing equations and remembering all the steps and formula's is enough to make me want to cry! I start my LPN program next week and to be honest, Math is what I'm most afriad of! I know if I continue to practice and study before and during the program, that I'll be fine. Good luck with your program!

[pookyp, LPN]

This is the same reason why I'm scared to start. MATH. but I'm so glad you wrote this. Everyone says the math is not hard. Just plug in numbers.

[Kikikins]

I always said math was not my strong suit. I had the opportunity to tutor my 14yo nephew this summer on core arithmetic skills and algebra. Surprisingly it was much easier than I remembered it from my early college days -- apparently between balancing the budget, baking conversions, and lye calculations I kept my math skills up! What I am trying to convey is math is everywhere, and OP could not be more correct. The less you rely on a calculator the better!