Med Calc Exam

esrun-a · Oct 3, 2003

Fahamesha,

I just took my med calculations test. We had to pass 100%. I hope you can pass 100%. If you were my my nurse I'd hope you gave me the 100% correct dose and not 80%! Our test was basic and consisted of conversions dealing with metric and apothecary. No IV, multi conversion questions yet! Practice, practice!

babs_rn · Oct 3, 2003

Lucky you...passing for our class was 100%. Anything less and you had to re-take it, couldn't pass the class otherwise.

Usually it's dosage calculations (ordered: 35 mg Benadryl, you have on hand 25 mg/ml, how many ml will you give?), conversions, say, from mg to grains to grams to micrograms....also IV drip calculations (gtts/cc, how many gtts/min for so many cc's per hr). Figure on a few questions involving the pt's weight, such as weight-based heparin or pediatric calculations in which the dosage is in mg/kg or mg/kg/hr (for a drip rate).

Many hospitals still require a medications calculations exam as part of a pre-employment screening as well...so you won't see the last of that with this test!

Good luck!

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Oct 3, 2003

I depends on your school and the person writing the exam as to the content of it. Babs is right though, you'll probably see a lot of Dr ordered x, pharm has yx avi, how much to give. The ones they like to throw us are the "calculate gtts/min to infuse x amount over y time using microdrip tubing" and "is this doseage safe?" questions.

The instructor that writes our doseage calc tests always sends out practive problems the week before. Maybe you could ask your instructor to give some out.

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Oct 3, 2003

Originally posted by esrun-a
Fahamesha,

I just took my med calculations test. We had to pass 100%. I hope you can pass 100%. If you were my my nurse I'd hope you gave me the 100% correct dose and not 80%! Our test was basic and consisted of conversions dealing with metric and apothecary. No IV, multi conversion questions yet! Practice, practice!

don't you think you are being a little harsh? At my school, we have to pass with a 90% - I didn't set the rule, the school did. Maybe I'm wrong, but you sounded a bit critical of the person taking the test - shouldn't you be critical of the school that sets the rule?

SSURN · Oct 3, 2003

I agree with esrun-a! You should pass your med calc exam with 100%. When I was in nursing school you had to pass with 100%. Think about it, don't you want to give your patients the right medication 100% of the time and not 80% of the time (especially with meds like insulin)? Good luck on your test.:)

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Oct 3, 2003

I'm not saying it isn't the right thing to know how to and to give med 100% correct 100% of the time, but we as students don't set the policy - only our own goals - the school sets the policy.

SC RN, RN · Oct 3, 2003

We had to pass our first math exam (and all subsequent math exams) with an 80% ... but as our teacher often said ... and 80% could mean that you killed two patients out of ten.

So ... we'd all laugh about it with remarks like "cool, I got a 100%, I didn't kill anyone today" or "shoot, I got a 60%, so I killed four people today".

But when you think about it, it's true and not very funny. You don't want to be making ANY mistakes like this once you are a RN. So I vowed to get a 100% on my math tests and have ever since. I don't want to be responsible for a patients death because I didn't learn my math.

Just my two cents. :)

shyne · Oct 3, 2003

Our school required a 90 or better, but I still passed it with a 100. Make sure that you remember all of your conversion factors! Practice the math and remember your conversions and I promise you'll pass with flying colors :)

Chrislynn2003 · Oct 3, 2003

Took it a few years back in school, but we had a test in junior year that was med calculations, like you were given a dose and this is what you had on stock, so what do you need to give the patient. Also conversions from mcg to mg and gr and 3 teaspoons=1Tbsp. Stuff like that and then senior year we were retested again on this stuff, plus IV meds. In junior year we also had to do mixing insulins and drawing up syringes for SC injections and injecting each other.

PennyLane, RN · Oct 3, 2003

We too had to get a 90%, over 3 attempts. I got 100% on the first attempt and personally would be upset with myself for getting anything less than that. Ours was similar to what Babs described.

We also have med calc exams each semester.

fahamesha · Oct 3, 2003

Hey Guys thanks for the replys. I intend to get a 100 to but I was just concerned with the content on the exam I want to be able to give the correct medication to the correct patient. Even though they have such a low grading for this exam it has been said that in the pass other students have done much better than the 80%. Thanks again for the input.

Mesha