Math Test for every class?

Tinkx RN · Jun 7, 2013

Oh yes I forgot to mention that if you fail the math test you the class like the poster above me. We actually lost two people last semester! But don't worry if your school is like mine they give you calculators.

RubberDuckieLove · Jun 7, 2013

Ours is a 100 percent pass or you are out of the program. Not even just a semester, but the entire program. Scary stuff. But you do have 3 times to take it

DoGoodThenGo · Jun 8, 2013

Oh yes I forgot to mention that if you fail the math test you the class like the poster above me. We actually lost two people last semester! But don't worry if your school is like mine they give you calculators.

Quite honestly many of you "youngsters" don't know how easy you have things when it comes to med dose calc.

Up until the 1980's or even well into the 1990's nursing math was taught by most schools the same way it had been for decades.

No dimensional analysis or whatever method you wanted to use long as the answer was correct. Rather you used standard formulas your instructor gave and that was that, and show all work. Got the correct answer but didn't use *her* (or his meaning the instructor's) formula? Tough cheese and the answer was at worse marked "incorrect" or at best points taken off.

Few if any programs allowed calculators and besides formulas you had to memorise countless conversions including apothecary to metric or household (gr to mg or mcg, fl oz to ml, dram to teaspoon, ml to dram...).

Usually given as a nil "pass or fail" or very low credit half semester class at the same time as Med-Surg I or whatever intro/nursing fundamentals was for that program. Didn't pass? You were yanked out of clinicals and couldn't get beyond "MSI" until the class was passed. Usually retaking the class counted towards the dreaded number of allowed repeats.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2013

Expect to take math tests before every clinical as well as before every job you'll ever work at as a nurse.

Tinkx RN · Jun 9, 2013

Well I'm sorry we are in 2013 and we are able to use calculators!

I was trying to give to op some type if stress reliever by saying that and though my school uses calculators most of the time most of the class don't use them because we can basically do the work in our heads or at least on scrap paper.

Don't judge us "youngsters" because some things have changed from the past to the present because eventually everything change. We are given the tools as it was taught to us and use them to progress through the program just like how you use how things were talk to you. And I'm sure nurses before you would say to you how you may had it easy compare to their schooling.

Bottom line you have no right to judge anybody schooling because diversity what makes that unique! So sorry my school isn't like yours...

DoGoodThenGo · Jun 9, 2013

Well I'm sorry we are in 2013 and we are able to use calculators!
I was trying to give to op some type if stress reliever by saying that and though my school uses calculators most of the time most of the class don't use them because we can basically do the work in our heads or at least on scrap paper.
Don't judge us "youngsters" because some things have changed from the past to the present because eventually everything change. We are given the tools as it was taught to us and use them to progress through the program just like how you use how things were talk to you. And I'm sure nurses before you would say to you how you may had it easy compare to their schooling.
Bottom line you have no right to judge anybody schooling because diversity what makes that unique! So sorry my school isn't like yours...

Excuse me? Was not "judging" anyone, merely pointing out the differences so if you are finished with that cross we need the wood.

Will say there is a considerable opinion that math education in this country and not just as related to nursing but in general has gone down hill. Much of this can be traced back to the over reliance upon computers versus a working knowledge of math fundamentals.

No one is saying diversity in teaching nursing math is bad, indeed offers great benefits as persons vary in their ability to perform such functions. However being as that all may the nurse error rate is still uncomfortably high and part of that is due to difficulty with calculations.

Exploring the factors contributing to drug errors and how to improve knowledge | Practice | Nursing Times

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 10, 2013

Excuse me? Was not "judging" anyone, merely pointing out the differences so if you are finished with that cross we need the wood.
Will say there is a considerable opinion that math education in this country and not just as related to nursing but in general has gone down hill. Much of this can be traced back to the over reliance upon computers versus a working knowledge of math fundamentals.
No one is saying diversity in teaching nursing math is bad, indeed offers great benefits as persons vary in their ability to perform such functions. However being as that all may the nurse error rate is still uncomfortably high and part of that is due to difficulty with calculations.
Exploring the factors contributing to drug errors and how to improve knowledge | Practice | Nursing Times

DoGood has brought up a excellent point.

Drug errors are STILL at a all time high...as well as the risk of committing an error.

As someone who struggled with math most of my life, I remain to be vigilant and give my calculations for a "two-nurse check" whether it be med-dug or critical care (ESPECIALLY critical care, Peds...cannot stress this enough!) I have been fortunate to not commit a dosing error.

The most interesting thing is I actually was explaining to my nieces a math problem (Algebra-yuck!!!) AND was able to answer it without calculation in my head...maybe is hope for me, lol.

I have hope for all to slay nursing math, do it and be able to recheck safely their eyes closed. :yes:

Tinkx RN · Jun 10, 2013

Just didn't appreciate the youngsters comment especially in quotations. It looked to me as if you were looking down upon nursing students going through school now and the way nursing school (that allow calculators [in which my school provide and that do basic math]) has taught us to do nursing calculations.

Bottom line is that this thread purpose was to gain insight on what to except when it came to nursing calculations in nursing school and to maybe get some type of encouragement from us to the op to say "good luck and you'll be fine". So sorry that some schools allow us to use basic calculators to add subtract multiply and divide. And sorry for my response it was an reaction and opinion, didn't mean to upset or divert this thread into a something it wasn't suppose to be.

That article was interesting.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Jun 11, 2013

Excuse me? Was not "judging" anyone, merely pointing out the differences so if you are finished with that cross we need the wood.
Will say there is a considerable opinion that math education in this country and not just as related to nursing but in general has gone down hill. Much of this can be traced back to the over reliance upon computers versus a working knowledge of math fundamentals.
No one is saying diversity in teaching nursing math is bad, indeed offers great benefits as persons vary in their ability to perform such functions. However being as that all may the nurse error rate is still uncomfortably high and part of that is due to difficulty with calculations.
Exploring the factors contributing to drug errors and how to improve knowledge | Practice | Nursing Times

Taking a step aside from nursing math, they are teaching kids an entirely different way of doing basic arithmatic now... so different, that I can't help my 2nd and 4th grader with their addition and subtration because it confuses them because it's different than how they are learning in class. It's ridiculous. We won't switch to the metric system but we will complicate simple math? Insanity.

This country has fallen way behind in math and science. My theory is in the 80s it because such a big deal that people were getting pushed through school unable to read a word. They switched the focus on reading and funneled resources to that end, essentially putting the maths and sciences on the back burner. Now kids are math/science illiterate, and unfortunately, thanks for D.C. science education is being held hostage on political/religion and funding has been cut across the board for ALL education. It's ridiculous.

Back to nursing math. I use dimensional analysis because it's almost fool proof for me.

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 13, 2013

Congratulations! As everyone else has said, we, too, had a math test each semester. 1st semester was simple dosage calculations, 2nd we added in drop factor and drip rates and such. Third semester we did peds math(hardest by far for me) and then 4th it was like 1st and 2nd combined but added in titrating meds and reconstituting meds.
For lab, we learned all out skills there. 1st semester was all the basics (BP, making beds, doing bed baths, head to toe assessments). 2nd semester was more skills (IV starts, trach care, Foley's, NG tube placement, wound cleaning, central line dressing changes). Third semester dealt with mommas and babies and 4th semester was critical care.

I love Grumpy Cat!

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 13, 2013

DoGood has brought up a excellent point.
Drug errors are STILL at a all time high...as well as the risk of committing an error.
As someone who struggled with math most of my life, I remain to be vigilant and give my calculations for a "two-nurse check" whether it be med-dug or critical care (ESPECIALLY critical care, Peds...cannot stress this enough!) I have been fortunate to not commit a dosing error.
The most interesting thing is I actually was explaining to my nieces a math problem (Algebra-yuck!!!) AND was able to answer it without calculation in my head...maybe is hope for me, lol.
I have hope for all to slay nursing math, do it and be able to recheck safely their eyes closed.

I am so scared of the math!!! I heard that my nursing program head wants us to use dimensional analysis and I prefer ration and proprtion for dosage calculations, so now I feel like I better get some tutoring on math before I even start the program in the Fall! EEEK!!!! I took Math for Allied Health and got an A, but I am still petrified.

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2013

I had to take a med calculation test during the first week of each semester. You needed a 90 or better to pass and be allowed to participate in clinical. You had two tries. If you didn't make the grade of the second try, you had to drop out of clinical.

I believe that basic math skills are crucial in nursing; if you doubt any calculation, always double/triple check both with yourself and another nurse.

And here's a great math tool I used in nursing school - a pocket guide from Kaplan called Math for Nurses. I still have it on my bookshelf and refer to it when I need a refresher:

Math for Nurses: A Pocket Skill-Builder and Reference Guide for Dosage Calculation: Kaplan, Mary E. Stassi, Margaret A. Tiemann: 9781607140474: Amazon.com: Books (2nd edition is the one I have, but I do know there is a third edition out now).