MATH...& I'm scared ...uhhh

WannaBTraveling · Aug 18, 2006

I have severe math anxiety as well, I have been taking pre-req's part time for the past year and a half. Unfortunately, math is so hard for me that I have had to take each math class twice to get the grade I need. Our nursing program requires Algebra, but if I don't get into the community college RN program then I will be taking statistics to apply at the university...and I am even more terrified of statistics....but what keeps me going is my STRONG desire to become a nurse.

Good luck to you!

If you want to see some examples then you can click here for our schools algebra lessons. Username and password are mathflash

Chapter 1 thru 5 is MTH60

Chapter 6 thru 10 is MTH65

Chapter 11 thru 14 is MTH95

Jilaweez, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 19, 2006

Don't worry, you'll be fine. Did you take your math placement test for your school? That will tell you where you need to start. If you don't remember much math on the test then you will need to take some basic math, but it is a good refresher. Then you will need to build your way up to college algebra, which is usually the only math req. for ADN. If you decide to go for BSN then you will need Stats, but that will come after you have algebra under your belt so you will be ready for it. Most college teachers want to see you succeed so they will help you in any way they can, also go to the tutor if you need extra help.

Good luck!!

allthingsbright · Aug 19, 2006

The best and simplest book I have found is Math for Nurses. It gives a basic math review and explains the math in straight forward terms. I would advise brushing up on math now, but dont get too freaked! You will pick it up quickly--take it from someone who is VERY bad at math--it can be done!

Pixiesmom, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2006

Don't worry, you'll be fine. Did you take your math placement test for your school? That will tell you where you need to start. If you don't remember much math on the test then you will need to take some basic math, but it is a good refresher. Then you will need to build your way up to college algebra, which is usually the only math req. for ADN. If you decide to go for BSN then you will need Stats, but that will come after you have algebra under your belt so you will be ready for it. Most college teachers want to see you succeed so they will help you in any way they can, also go to the tutor if you need extra help.
Good luck!!

Excellent advice! I started back almost a year ago and I immediately signed up for tutoring knowing that I wanted to do more than just get by and after a few weeks in I realized that I didn't need the tutor. I will use the tutoring service again in a heart beat if I need to.

I liked my algebra class so much that I went a step above what is required and my instructor offered to tutor in my math for meds if I had any questions. You can do this Amy!

BeccaznRN, RN · Aug 19, 2006

Math did not come completely easy for me, but I didn't have the severe anxiety that you do. I had not had a math course in nine years by the time I went back to college, so I scored fairly low on the math placement test. I took remedial math courses, worked my way up to college algebra (and statistics, since both are required in my BSN program) and made it through! I even had to take college algebra twice since I received a "D" my first time around.

No matter how scared you are, you can learn math. And you will be in good company because I guarantee that there are many other students out there that share your same fear of math. Attend every class, practice all the math problems you can get your hands on, and never ever let yourself get behind! The first sign that you are struggling, get help through your instructor, a tutor, a friend who's a math whiz, or any other resources you have. You will end up surprising yourself by how much you'll actually learn!

Best of luck to you!

ChargeNurseAmy74 · Aug 19, 2006

thank you all sooooo much! i have read all your posts and will take them all to heart..i will believe in myself..and i will go for it! thanks again..hugs amy

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2006

Hi, nurse_amy!

First of all, please don't let your kids catch your anxiety about math or there will be three more people in the world suffering the same anxiety as you. Let them see you as a positive role model working toward conquering this.

Generally, math at the level of pre-algebra is about all you need for most nursing programs. That's about 8th grade level math. Someone just posted a very nice site, Fast Math Facts, just the other day on this very forum. Here's the link: http://www.mccc.edu/~kelld/page400.html Other sites I often recommend for basic math review are:

http://www.math.com/homeworkhelp/BasicMath.html - Math.com. I've linked you into Basic math but if you care to venture into other more advanced subjects in math, just go to the drop down menu at the left of the page where it says, "Select Subject".

http://library.advanced.org/20991/intro.html - Math for Morons Like Us

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm - Purplemath is a good review site for subjects in algebra

If you would like to venture out and actually do some math problems, try this site http://www.interactmath.com/ which is a free companion textbook site for a multitude of math textbooks published by Addison-Wesley/Prentice Hall. Once you enter the site you have to chose a textbook from a drop down menu. I recommend any of the books by Elayn Martin-Gay. In your case, her Pre-Algebra textbook. You will then be taken to pages where you have to down load a couple of drivers (it's free) in order to be able to use the software on the website. When you finally get to the math problems you will have to choose them by chapter of the book. The problems are presented in order of difficulty. You can ask the program at any time to show you how to work out the problem and it will do so in a step-by-step fashion. You can ask for more problems of the same level of difficulty or move on. The program generally gives you three chances to get the right answer before telling you the correct answer. You need to learn to use the radio buttons on the left side of the screen for inputting some answers, such as fractions. I used this site extensively when I was taking Algebra II and Trigonometry.

Welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Aug 19, 2006

I just graduated at the ripe old age of 39. I had not had math for a good 18 years before I had started venturing into it. It really is basic stuff. But since you are already worried, you might consider talking to your academic learning center to see about a tutor or some extra help. You can get through this. You will just have to work. And my kids are 5, 6 and 3 months. If I can, you can!

lisabeth · Aug 19, 2006

Hi, nurse_amy!
First of all, please don't let your kids catch your anxiety about math or there will be three more people in the world suffering the same anxiety as you. Let them see you as a positive role model working toward conquering this.
Generally, math at the level of pre-algebra is about all you need for most nursing programs. That's about 8th grade level math. Someone just posted a very nice site, Fast Math Facts, just the other day on this very forum. Here's the link: http://www.mccc.edu/~kelld/page400.html Other sites I often recommend for basic math review are:
http://www.math.com/homeworkhelp/BasicMath.html - Math.com. I've linked you into Basic math but if you care to venture into other more advanced subjects in math, just go to the drop down menu at the left of the page where it says, "Select Subject".
http://library.advanced.org/20991/intro.html - Math for Morons Like Us
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm - Purplemath is a good review site for subjects in algebra
If you would like to venture out and actually do some math problems, try this site http://www.interactmath.com/ which is a free companion textbook site for a multitude of math textbooks published by Addison-Wesley/Prentice Hall. Once you enter the site you have to chose a textbook from a drop down menu. I recommend any of the books by Elayn Martin-Gay. In your case, her Pre-Algebra textbook. You will then be taken to pages where you have to down load a couple of drivers (it's free) in order to be able to use the software on the website. When you finally get to the math problems you will have to choose them by chapter of the book. The problems are presented in order of difficulty. You can ask the program at any time to show you how to work out the problem and it will do so in a step-by-step fashion. You can ask for more problems of the same level of difficulty or move on. The program generally gives you three chances to get the right answer before telling you the correct answer. You need to learn to use the radio buttons on the left side of the screen for inputting some answers, such as fractions. I used this site extensively when I was taking Algebra II and Trigonometry.
Welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

Thank you so much for posting those. I am exempt from College Algebra unless I go for the BSN, which I very much intend on doing. I may go ahead and take it if I dont get in the program nursing program this summer. These links will be very helpful. I have always hated math myself, but I will use these links.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Aug 19, 2006

I ran across my high school report card awhile back and saw I had a "D" in algebra my senior year. Either I wasn't paying attention or I didn't care!! And I NEVER considered myself competent in math through the years.

When I started down the math road in college, I took the assessment test and tested in to Basic Math (I was in my late 30's). That really bummed me out because it meant 4 semesters of math before I could obtain my associate's (this was for another degree).

A friend's sister is a high school math teacher and I will be forever grateful for her telling me to take advantage of this. She said if I took the time to build a strong foundation in math, it would make it so much easier in the long run.

Basic math was adding, subtracting, multiplying & division. Then they started throwing fractions in, then decimals, then a little bit here and there that I hadn't used or thought about in years. It was actually kind of FUN!! It got a little more intense as I went along, but I actually started to enjoy my math classes as a break from something like an English class that was more subjective and abstract.

I used the college tutors when I needed to and occasionally paid for help at a local math tutoring business when things got more intense during intermediate and college algebra. I even went on to complete Survey of Calculus (with a B) in case I ever went on to a Master's!!

Hang in there and don't freak yourself out too much until you've given yourself a chance to see how much you've matured and how much more motivated you may be than you were in the past!! Don't hesitate to ask for help as soon as you think you need it. If you let yourself get too far behind, you might really find yourself discouraged!!

Good luck!

bdgriff · Aug 19, 2006

Here's the webpage for my Comm. College I'm attending this Fall for a RN degree. The site itself isn't pretty, but it does have great tutorials and reviews specific for our RN program. Here ya go: http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/default.html