nursing=lots of math?

Finally my Time · Feb 3, 2010

Calculations are a MAJOR part of nursing... Try to get extra help or tutoring. Try Cliff Notes online. They have a free website that may help.. Also, look for Chemistry for grade school kids.. That has helped me a bunch..

Here is a website I've been using to get an idea of what nursing calculations I may need to know... http://www.dosagehelp.com

LA_StudentNurse · Feb 3, 2010

I was lucky. My community college offered chemistry for bio majors The only way I passed was to keep doing the work, over and over again. I looked up info on line to see if there were other ways that the info I had problems with was taught. The internet is a great resource for students.

As far as math...hmmm...you will use your algerbra but geometry, calculus, etc. you will not. The math that you will use will be straight forward. You need to get through your prerequisites then you will go forward. The math you need for general nursing will be found in the math for nursing books. It is not rocket science math, but make a mistake (like the problems out at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles where they gave the wronng heparin to newborns.) There is a great deal to learn, but take it a little at a time and realize that eventually you be ready for the NCLEX.

My best to you and I know you can do it. Just believe in yourself...and work hard

Mineee45 · Feb 6, 2010

the math is not that bad

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 6, 2010

The math needed for nursing is not "higher level" mathematics. It's basic arithmetic that you learned in grade school (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) plus some basic high school algebra to solve some equations. Nothing beyond the stuff I had in 9th grade -- no geometry, trigonometry, or calculus.

However -- you do need to be VERY accurate in your calculations. Making mistakes in addition or division, etc. can cause serious harm to a patient. So you need to "keep your head" when you do math problems. You can't freak out, be careless, etc.

Also ... you need to be logical in nursing. You need to be able to the "reading problems" that you had in math class. You have to be able to take real-life situations and put them into the equations that you will solve with your basic arithmetic. For example: If there are 250 milligrams of a drug in each cc of medicine, how many cc's of medicine should you give if you want to give the patient 500 milligrams of the drug? How many cc's would you give if you wanted to give the patient 100 milligrams of the drug?

Those are the kinds of "math problems" that you need to able to do with perfection to be a nurse.

kraam · Feb 7, 2010

The math needed for nursing is not "higher level" mathematics. It's basic arithmetic that you learned in grade school (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) plus some basic high school algebra to solve some equations. Nothing beyond the stuff I had in 9th grade -- no geometry, trigonometry, or calculus.
However -- you do need to be VERY accurate in your calculations. Making mistakes in addition or division, etc. can cause serious harm to a patient. So you need to "keep your head" when you do math problems. You can't freak out, be careless, etc.
Also ... you need to be logical in nursing. You need to be able to the "reading problems" that you had in math class. You have to be able to take real-life situations and put them into the equations that you will solve with your basic arithmetic. For example: If there are 250 milligrams of a drug in each cc of medicine, how many cc's of medicine should you give if you want to give the patient 500 milligrams of the drug? How many cc's would you give if you wanted to give the patient 100 milligrams of the drug?
Those are the kinds of "math problems" that you need to able to do with perfection to be a nurse.

thank you. that doesnt sound too bad :redbeathe