Nurse Math Resources?

TazziRN, RN · Apr 5, 2007

I don't know of any books but try googling "nursing math". Or do a search here, this has come up before. I use dimensional analysis and think it's the easiest way, but others hate it.

futurecnm · Apr 5, 2007

Our text book is

"Dosage Calculations" 7th edition by Gloria D. Pickar

Really, nursing math is a lot of dosage calculations, and conversions. If you can do basic algebra and basic math, you can do this. It is just something you have to practice and "get" then you will be able to do any type of dosage problem. I have seen students struggle with this at first but once they get it, it is very simple. Unfortunately we did have one student fail out of the program 1st semester due to not passing the math exam (we have 3 tries to get above 95%) but I am guessing she did not get help when she needed it.

hikernurse · Apr 5, 2007

A real basic book that goes through things very specifically (and with answers :)) is:

Math for Nurses: A Pocket Guide to Dosage Calculation and Drug Preparation

6e by Mary Jo Boyer

It's not so much a text book, but a good review, starting with fractions and decimal points and moving through what you'll need. I got it to review for the math tests we had to pass with 100% in our Pharm classes. It's easy to use and covers the problems in detail so you know what and why.

Good luck.

daijon_20 · Apr 5, 2007

Hikernurse is right I use Math for Nurses and it helped me out a lot with the calculations and it was especially helpful for me when it came down to doing conversions

cc_nurse · Apr 6, 2007

Calculate with Confidence is an excellent resource. I took a math for healthcare professionals class and it utilized this text; I was *not* a 'math' person and this really helped me to really get it down. Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/Calculate-Confidence-Fourth-Deborah-Morris/dp/0323029280/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1844468-3152724?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175850609&sr=1-1 http://http://www.amazon.com/Calculate-Confidence-Fourth-Deborah-Morris/dp/0323029280/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1844468-3152724?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175850609&sr=1-1

Liebchen · Apr 19, 2007

Our text book is
"Dosage Calculations" 7th edition by Gloria D. Pickar
Really, nursing math is a lot of dosage calculations, and conversions. If you can do basic algebra and basic math, you can do this. It is just something you have to practice and "get" then you will be able to do any type of dosage problem. I have seen students struggle with this at first but once they get it, it is very simple. Unfortunately we did have one student fail out of the program 1st semester due to not passing the math exam (we have 3 tries to get above 95%) but I am guessing she did not get help when she needed it.

This is my textbook as well.

I as well, missed the math gene. I am in my 4th week of nursing and I have a test next week that will make or break me. I can do the problems, it is setting them up that throws me off. I have 6 days to teach myself something, I sure as heck hope something connects by then.

I think the dimensional analysis is the best method, as it does have the conversion built in to it.

the dose on hand divided by ordered times quantity works well as long as there are no conversions to do.... I see trouble in my future test.

Cardiolyte · Apr 19, 2007

This got me through nursing school and I still use it,

"Clinical Calculations Using Dimensional Analysis"; Craig.

Good Luck

Lacie, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2007

http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/default.html

I used this site and it's a freebie. I was out of nsg for 8 yrs and out of clinical for 16. It helped me a great deal and is very easy to follow.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2007

trixie-nurse2b. . .the trick with math is that you just have to work problem after problem after problem in order for the stuff to finally sink in. math teachers will tell you that there is a hierarchy of difficulty in the way problems are presented in math textbooks. there are a number of websites where you can get free information about the basics of math. however, that does you no good if you don't have problems to work. because of home schooling there are a lot of sites that have these worksheets of problems, but you have to pay for them. i have found a free service from the pearson/addison/wesley textbook publishers called interactmath.com where you can log on and work endless math problems as well as get step-by-step help in solving every single problem from pre-algebra to calculus. the problems are set up by the hierarchy of difficulty i mentioned. i just posted the instructions on how to access and get started on using this site just recently in this thread:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/clep-college-mathematics-218577.html

if you have until december, then i would recommend that you take a pre-algebra class at your local community college if you can afford it. make it the only class you take and really hunker down, do all the homework and live the math to get your money's worth out of the course. most community colleges have math or tutoring labs that are free to the students to help them understand these concepts. they can't help you, however, if don't go to them. the math on these pre-nursing tests only goes into basic algebra. pre-algebra is everything you learned up to about the 8th or 9th grade. pre-algebra takes you up to the beginning of basic algebra. algebra teaches you some fancy steps on how to manipulate what is on either side of the equal sign (=) of a mathematical problem. each level of math builds on what was learned before, so if you haven't learned and mastered what came before, you will already be behind before you even start.

you will also find other links to websites where you can find basic math concepts on this thread on the pre-nursing student forum:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f198/math-help-links-120539.html

as a student, you should be hanging out on these forums where you will find sticky threads for much of the information you will need help with at you go through the process of nursing school pre-requisites, and nursing classes. here is a list of the nursing student forums on allnurses: https://allnurses.com/forums/f196/. for you, i recommend you start with the pre-nursing student forum. most of the students who are taking nursing classes hang out on the nursing student assistance and general nursing student discussion forum. you will also find students occasionally posting questions asking how to solve their medication math problems. however, medication math is way too premature for the level you are at. you need to get that basic concepts of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers, fractions and decimals mastered.

i don't want to alarm you. this is not rocket science. you can do this. math is very logical. much of nursing is also very logical. but, like i keep telling students who are struggling with their nursing care plans, if your foundation sucks, then everything following your foundation is going to suck. if you build a house, you want to construct it on a good, strong foundation, right? (look at the leaning tower of pisa!) the rest of the building is a step-by-step process. it's the same with math. you need to build and strengthen your foundation of basic concepts in math. do that and rest will fall into place, step-by-step.