Medical Dosage Calculations Class

[studentgolfer]

So my program requires this class be completed before or concurrently with my first semester. I was planning on just testing out of the class, thus receiving the credit on my transcript and not having to take the class (just useless busywork when I need to focus on nursing material)

My question is do you think it is going to be pretty easy to test out of this? It's been a while since I took math, but I took up through one semester of pre-calculus in college I am just worried I will have to take the class I guess.

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

If you think you can pass the test then go for it. I think the tests are a little harder if you are going to test out. Also be careful because med calculations are not all just simple math. In many calculations you need to know how to convert different measurements.

For example, do you know how many micrograms are in a miligram or can you convert kilograms to pounds and vice versa? These are some of the things you would see on a med calc test and if you are unfamiliar with this then it may be beneficial to actually take the class.

[JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN]

Yeah, I don't understand why you would have to take a class on this. See if your school has a test bank in the library for old med calculation tests. Besides conversions from lbs to kgs, and mg to gms, you'll need to know how many mls in a teaspoon and tablespoon. Know when and where to round your fractions of a whole number. Understand how to calculate drips per hour when given #mls per hour and tubing with drip rate of 10, 15 or 60 drips/min. When given a vial with grams/ml, know how many mls to give if a patient needs x grams. 90% of nursing students won't have a problem with these but some really struggle with these questions.

[LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN]

Get a good med math/calc book and study it...if only as a review. Studying the material will help you recognize how to solve the question faster than if you have to stop and think.