Pre-req math classes for nursing school

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I'm starting my pre-req's for nursing school next year and I was just wondering, what type of math classes are required for getting into nursing school and are they hard?

Keep in mind I am HORRIBLE at math. I am willing to work hard to pass the classes though.

Any input would be great!

Thanks

:)

Depends on the school. Here in vegas an associates required a dosage and calc class. BSN requires College alegbra and statistics. I disagree with those that say you need algebra to do dosage and calculations. Nursing math as I call it is easy and really has nothing to do with algebra. I suck at math, but never have had a problem with nursing math that I need to do. Honestly drip rates is probably the hardest and thats pretty easy.

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For the school I attended we were required to take College Algebra and Two Statistics courses for the BSN program. I am also horrible at math! I took Algebra my very first semester of college when I was 17 at the time and didn't take things very seriously. Well, I FAILED. Ugh. I retook the course during the summer and got a B. Failing that class completely messed up my GPA from the start and i had to work sssoooo hard to get it back up. But now I have my BSN (and now I take things very seriously) so it's all good! YOU CAN DO IT if you really want it and put your mind to it!I also agree with Momof3, you really don't need algebra to do dosage and calculations. I've never had a problem with nursing math.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

My program required college level algebra and statistics. However, you'll find that these courses have nothing to do with medical calculations you'll do in nursing.

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I'm starting my pre-req's for nursing school next year and I was just wondering, what type of math classes are required for getting into nursing school and are they hard?

Keep in mind I am HORRIBLE at math. I am willing to work hard to pass the classes though.

Any input would be great!

Thanks

:)

For nursing math (medical dosage calculations) all that is required is firm understanding of grade school and first year of high school (algerbra) math. It is mainly working with fractions, decimials, percentages, multiplication, division,order of operations and so forth.

However many colleges and or state board of Regents have other requirements of all candidates seeking either a BofS or Associates degree. In general count on taking some lower college level algerbra for an ADN and stats with perhaps finite math for a BS. Also most all colleges usually require a math placement exam to prove one is capable of doing college level work. Depending upon your score one may be required to take remedial math classes before being allowed to register for a 100 level class.

If it's been awhile since you've done any serious math, Barron's among many others have great refresher books.

One tip I will give you, and this applies to both nursing and math in general; always make sure you have read the problem correctly and understand what you are being asked to solve.

Just as in algerbra an order for meds is really a word problem. You are being given information about something and then have to compare with what you have on hand then solve for "X". Along the way you will find lots of bits that are totally un-necessary for solving the problem, however if you go off in the wrong direction, you'll get the wrong answer.

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Oh and another thing; start becoming familar with the metric system! :)

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OP: Looks like you'll be working REALLY REALLY hard! :)

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I started college when I was 37...19 years after graduating from highschool. I was TERRIFIED of having to take any math classes. I tried hard in highschool, and got all A's except in math. The best grade I ever got in highschool math was a C. I ended up taking a math bridge class to prepare me for college and LOVED it! I have no idea why but I really enjoy math now! I ended up getting an A+ in my college Algebra class. If you are a good listener and a hard worker I think you'll be fine :) Good luck to ya! :)

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" nursing math as i call it is easy and really has nothing to do with algebra. i suck at math, but never have had a problem with nursing math that i need to do."

lol, it is all algebra, by definition. what some people call "nursing math" is solving equations to obtain unknowns. that, friend, is algebra. if you can't do algebra (and not just pass the course, but be able to do it) you will not succeed in nursing, because you have to be able to make those calculations and solve those equations to be able to calculate fluid rates, partial doses, and things like mg (or mcg)/kg/minute dosing.

pass algebra, and remember it, and you'll be fine.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
I'm starting my pre-req's for nursing school next year and I was just wondering, what type of math classes are required for getting into nursing school and are they hard?

Keep in mind I am HORRIBLE at math. I am willing to work hard to pass the classes though.

Any input would be great!

Thanks

:)

My CC required College Algebra or Algebra I.

Keep that good attitude. As a nurse, you are going to have to get good at a lot of things you may not be very good at right now.

Math is one of the things you are tested on repeatedly and getting good at it takes work and practice.

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Not a one :D! Which is why I initially considered applying to the nursing program at my local college. My school taught us clinical calculations at the beginning of each clincal rotation to make sure we knew how to do the drug dosing properly.

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Here the pre-reqs for the ADN are high school algebra, biology, and chemistry with an 75 Regents or 85 Non-regents.

No math classes during the course of study. All Anatomy, Micro, Eng, Psy, humanities, ect are all co-reqs . (personally I am doing them all BEFORE nursing classes)

TEAS test is also required with a minimum of 58.7. There are only 128 seats every Fall and it all hinges on the TEAS test. No waiting list.. have to wait a year to retake the TEAS. (most that get in are getting at least 80's on the TEAS)

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My program required college level algebra and statistics. However, you'll find that these courses have nothing to do with medical calculations you'll do in nursing.

Stats while having nothing to do with med dose calc, does have it's uses in nursing. Being able to comprehend data as it relates to surveys and studies for instance.

When comparing different drugs or proceedures where one has higher numbers of negative outcomes and or effects it is useful to understand where the numbers fall. If the margins either way are quite small then perhaps there isn't much difference between the two. Understanding things such as population size in relation to results also helps in determining if the results are vaild.

Physicans understand this and that is the reason most all of that profession can sit down with a professional medical journal and not only understand the results, but debate and or call them into question. OTHO far to many nurses seem to "poo-poo" statistics thus sit around waiting for someone else to explain things to them.

As for nursing math not being algerbra, have to disagree with you on that one.

While solving the problems is mainly straight forward math, setting them up is nothing but pure algerbra.

Doctor calls in a verbal order at 9PM for Ampicillin 250 mg PO q 6h. Pharmacy sends you a liquid suspension containing 125 mg per 5 mL. How many mL will you administer?

Sure, if the above problem is set up anyone good at math at the elementry school level could probably solve, but how the thing is laid out and in what order things are solved will give different results. Only one is the correct however.

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