Need Help remembering conversions

lilhev333, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

One thing I came across was a way to remember whether to move the decimal right or left. It may sound silly but hey whatever works....

3 (3 zero separaters) (Mega)

Kids (Kilo)

Happily (Hecta)

Dove (Deka)

Under (units)

Dock (Deci)

Caught (Centi)

Mermaids (Milli)

3 (3 zero separaters) (Micro)

now if you write this out horizontally, and start where your first unit is say 1 gram and you want to know how many milligrams that is, you move three places to the right which is how many places you move the decimal which equals 1000 mg.

Hope this helps.

bsugar888 · Jul 23, 2008

What I did was write the conversions twice a day until school started....thats how I remembered them.....and trust me that worked for me..............I still remember them....and will be going into my 3rd semester this august.....................good luck, hope that helps.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2008

A cool way we were taught to convert from units of say grams to milligrams etc was this:

First you have to know bigger to smaller measurements for example:

Kilos, grams, milligrams, micrograms.

Then are you converting from larger to smaller? Think of the L in Larger..the bottom part of the L is pointing you in the direction the decimal place must move. For each measurement you are moving you move the decimal point 3 places. Going from kilograms to milligrams..you are going from a Larger measurement to a smaller one so the L is pointing you in the correct direction (to the right). Ok, so now you know which way the decimal is going..now you need to know how many times you must move it. Kilos to grams (3 places) grams to milligrams (3 places) now you know you are moving the decimal in the kilo measurement 6 places to the right.

The same can be done for converting smaller measurement to larger ones. The S in smaller also points you in the direction you are to move the decimal point..to the Left (see where the bottom part of the s is going..to the left). Then again, you figure how many spots to move it. Volia' your done.

You do have to memorize the basic measurements from Larger to smaller k, g, mg, mcg..and so on.

To remember grains to milligrams think of a clock. 15mg is 1/4 grain, 30 mg is 1/2grain, 45mg is 3/4grains and 60mg is 1 grain. 15 minutes after is quarter after, 30 minutes is 1/2 hour, 45 minutes is 3/4' of an hour and 60 minutes is 1 hour.

When ever I have conversion tests I always put the L and S at the top of the page, write down the order the measurements go larger to smaller and I put a clock on the paper marked with the 1/4hr, 1/2hr, 3/4hr and 1hr and inside put the corresponding conversion...

Hope all that babbling helped some.

tiggerdagibit · Jul 23, 2008

I think flashcards help with things like this. I also like the previous poster's idea of writing them down every day. Some of them, I have no problem remembering, but others still get me everytime. lol I think it's hard to remember them all if you don't use them everyday.. kinda like how I did well in Spanish class, but now I can't remember a lot of what I learned because I don't use it. Repetition is key.

This won't help for tests, but I took an index card and wrote all the conversions out to take to clinicals in case my brain froze. It's been known to happen. :chuckle

jadu1106 · Aug 1, 2008

i agree with all the above posters. try each method and see what best works for you. i am also attaching a document that i came across when i was in nursing school, i made several copies and stuck them everywhere, refrigerator, bathroom mirror, doors, etc. i also put a copy in my clinical notebook. try and do that also, and see if it helps you. wish you all the best! :)

conversions.pdf

Butterfly3001 · Sep 23, 2008

what if you're going from ml to ounces? Do you have to just memorize all the household measurements?

beth66335, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2008

Butterfly3001 said:
what if you're going from ml to ounces? Do you have to just memorize all the household measurements?

In mL to ounces you can look at a medicine cup from the hospital. It converts mL to teaspoons to oz and even tablespoons.

1tsp=5mL

1tbsp=3tsp=15mL

30mL=2tbsp=6tsp=1oz

for grains our teacher taught us to see dots on a grain of wheat for grains to mg and dots on a graham cracker for grams to grains

1 grain w/ 60-65 dots (mg)

1 graham cracker w/ 15 dots (gr)

she was really into mental pictures, but it works for me!

bexp2005 · Sep 23, 2008

I found it easiest to write them in one long list grouping like measurements.. Here is my list.

1ml=1cc

5ml=1tsp or 1 dram

15ml=1 tbs

30ml=1 oz

250ml=1/2 pt

500ml= 1pt

1000ml=1 L or 1qt

1000mcg=1mg

1000mg=1g

1/60gr=1mg

15gr=1g

60mg=1 gr

2.2 lbs= 1 kg

this way all your *numbers* are on one sise and (for the most part) all the numbers on the left are 1. that way you can simply memorize the sequence and just jot it down before starting your test.

loriangel14, RN · Sep 24, 2008

CT Pixie said:
The same can be done for converting smaller measurement to larger ones. The S in smaller also points you in the direction you are to move the decimal point..to the Left (see where the bottom part of the s is going..to the left). Then again, you figure how many spots to move it. Volia' your done.

I know this doesn't matter but it is spelled " voila":)