Published May 18, 2014
3rdGenRN
105 Posts
At our school during Nursing School Orientation, incoming students have to take (yet another!) mathematics assessment. If you score 90+ you don't have to take the dosage calculations course. I've worked very hard this past year at ensuring I have the absolute minimum of courses during nursing school. This was a surprise to me, hidden in the fine print I just found out about a few weeks ago. Can anyone help me suss out what I should be doing to prep for this test so that I don't have to take this course? I maxed out the school's math placement in November, got a 97% on the math portion of the TEAS in April, and 101% in the Chemistry course I just finished, so I don't think it's unreasonable that I can keep fresh on my skills over the summer and test out of this class too, I just want to make sure I'm working on the right stuff.
nurseprnRN, BSN, RN
1 Article; 5,116 Posts
What people stress out over as "med math" here is nothing more than basic, 10th grade algebra. If you did that well in the math section of the TEAS and got an A in chemistry, I'd say a few desultory glances at your problem sets from those should be quite sufficient. :)
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Med math is simple dimensional analysis. Know your conversions.
Know your conversions The Short List 1 cup © = 8 ounces (oz) 1 dram (dr) = 60 grains (gr) 1 dram (fl dr) = 60 minims 1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts (qt) 1 glass = 8 ounces (oz) 1 grain (gr) = 64.8 milligrams (mg) 1 gram (g) = 15.43 grains (gr) 1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm) 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb) 1 liter (L) = 1.057 quarts (qt) 1 milliliter (mL) = 16.23 minims 1 minim = 1 drop (gt) 1 ounce (oz) = 2 tablespoons (tbsp) 1 ounce (oz) = 8 drams (dr) 1 ounce (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliters (mL) 1 pint (pt) = 16 ounces (oz) 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz) 1 quart (qt) = 0.946 liters (L) 1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt) 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp) 1 teacup = 6 ounces (oz) 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 4.93 mL The Long list 1 central = 45,359 grams (g) 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm) 1 cubic centimeter (cc) = 1 milliliter (mL) 1 cup © = 8 ounces (oz) 1 drachm = 3.55 milliliter (mL) 1 dram (dr) = 60 grains (gr) 1 dram (fl dr) = 60 minims 1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts (qt) 1 gill = 4 ounces (oz) 1 glass = 8 ounces (oz) 1 grain (gr) = 64.8 milligrams (mg) 1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams (mg) 1 gram (g) = 1,000,000 micrograms (mcg) 1 gram (g) = 15.43 grains (gr) 1 hand = 4 inches (in) 1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm) 1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams (g) 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb) 1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL) 1 liter (L) = 1.057 quarts (qt) 1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters (mm) 1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm) 1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (mcg) 1 milliliter (mL) = 1 cubic centimeter (cc) 1 milliliter (mL) = 15 drops (gt) 1 milliliter (mL) = 16.23 minims 1 minim = 1 drop (gt) 1 ounce (fl oz) = 2 tablespoons (tbsp) 1 ounce (oz) = 20 pennyweights (dwt) 1 ounce (oz) = 24 scruples 1 ounce (oz) = 31.1 grams (g) 1 ounce (oz) = 480 grains (gr) 1 ounce (oz) = 8 drams (dr) 1 ounce, fluid (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliters (mL) 1 palm = 3 inches (in) 1 pennyweight (dwt) = 24 grains (gr) 1 pint (pt) = 16 ounces (oz) 1 pint (pt) = 4 gills 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz) 1 pound (lb) = 350 scruples 1 quart (qt) = 0.946 liters (L) 1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt) 1 scruple = 20 grains (gr) 1 stone = 0.14 cents 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp) 1 teacup = 6 ounces (oz) 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 60 drops (gtt) 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 4.93 mL
The Short List 1 cup © = 8 ounces (oz)
1 dram (dr) = 60 grains (gr)
1 dram (fl dr) = 60 minims
1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts (qt)
1 glass = 8 ounces (oz)
1 grain (gr) = 64.8 milligrams (mg)
1 gram (g) = 15.43 grains (gr)
1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm)
1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb)
1 liter (L) = 1.057 quarts (qt)
1 milliliter (mL) = 16.23 minims
1 minim = 1 drop (gt)
1 ounce (oz) = 2 tablespoons (tbsp)
1 ounce (oz) = 8 drams (dr)
1 ounce (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliters (mL)
1 pint (pt) = 16 ounces (oz)
1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz)
1 quart (qt) = 0.946 liters (L)
1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt)
1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp)
1 teacup = 6 ounces (oz)
1 teaspoon (tsp) = 4.93 mL
The Long list
1 central = 45,359 grams (g)
1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm)
1 cubic centimeter (cc) = 1 milliliter (mL)
1 cup © = 8 ounces (oz)
1 drachm = 3.55 milliliter (mL)
1 gill = 4 ounces (oz)
1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams (mg)
1 gram (g) = 1,000,000 micrograms (mcg)
1 hand = 4 inches (in)
1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams (g)
1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters (mm)
1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm)
1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (mcg)
1 milliliter (mL) = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
1 milliliter (mL) = 15 drops (gt)
1 ounce (fl oz) = 2 tablespoons (tbsp)
1 ounce (oz) = 20 pennyweights (dwt)
1 ounce (oz) = 24 scruples
1 ounce (oz) = 31.1 grams (g)
1 ounce (oz) = 480 grains (gr)
1 ounce, fluid (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliters (mL)
1 palm = 3 inches (in)
1 pennyweight (dwt) = 24 grains (gr)
1 pint (pt) = 4 gills
1 pound (lb) = 350 scruples
1 scruple = 20 grains (gr)
1 stone = 0.14 cents
1 teaspoon (tsp) = 60 drops (gtt)
Many schools use no longer use the apothecary system. Know how to convert grams to milligrams to micrograms.
DosageHelp.com - Helping Nursing Students Learn Dosage Calculations
Medical Dosage Calculations For Dummies Cheat Sheet - For Dummies
Drug Calculations Quiz Page
https://www.tridenttech.edu/PN_STUDY_GUIDE_NU4008.pdf
http://www.germanna.edu/tutor/documents/HowtoSolveDrugDosageProblemsAugust2012.pdf
Thanks guys!
Conversions and I were not friends at all through grade school. Well, metric-metric conversions. For some reason I could convert standard measurements all day long and standard to metric and back, but the purportedly most simple conversion system of metric-metric was always lost to me until this past semester with chemistry and dimensional analysis. So I'm feeling a lot more confident in it now, and these resources will help me shore up any weak spots I hope.