Statistics

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2004

I took it a couple of years ago. I really hated it, I know that's not a good thing to tell you, but I really hated the class lol. I can't even remember a lot of what we learned in there, I'm interested to see what others have to say about it. I'm in my senior year and still have yet to see how our Statistics class is related into the nursing classes ..... it fits in as far as research, but I don't see why we needed a whole semester of it as a prereq :rolleyes:

Lisa Michelle · Nov 11, 2004

i'm in one right now. it's a math class and the only way i see how it helps is that you can understand the studies and data presented in nursing journals.

Sweetpea00 · Nov 11, 2004

One of the hardest classes I've ever had...much more complex than any math class I've ever had....the professor has to scale the grades on every test about 10 point so that the majority of the class would pass!!!

ayndim · Nov 11, 2004

What exactly is a statistics class?I've seen this for a lot of pre reqs.What do you do in class and how does it relate to nursing?

I personally enjoyed it. Now when I hear about research and how they arrived I understand. Statistics in a nutshell is taking data and making predictions about it, using statistical tools.

It is not like the math you are used to. I can't say whether it is easier because everyone is so different. Just because you are good in calculus or similar math does not mean you will sail through stats. I went into it with that attitude. Luckily I found out real quick or I would have been in trouble. By the same token, if you are bad in math you can still do great in stats.

I can't for the life of me figure how it would relate to nursing, except as a requirement to get into programs.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2004

I am in staff development and use some sort of statistical info almost daily. I research articles for evidence-based practice, I keep stats on recruitment and retention efforts, our quality control nurse keeps stats on all sorts of indicators then shares them with managers and education so we will know how to change/prevent negative outcomes-------there is a lot to do with numbers in nursing. Our chief nurse keeps stats on utilization of all resources (including human). This way she can initiate money saving measures in some areas that can be spent on salaries. How many chest tubes does your facility place every month? What is the survival rate? How many falls? How many falls can be prevented? There is a lot that statistics can do. The good news is, there is software to do the hard stuff for you.

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 11, 2004

I always loved statistics classes ... and have taken several throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies. I use what I learned in those classes regularly. As other people have said ... it's all about using information to make decisions. As nurses our actions should be based on a sound analysis of the information. Statistics is the branch of mathematics that deals with the organization and analysis of numerical information. If a nurse is not very good at statistics, she is likely to misinterpret the information she hears and/or reads about.

So ... good luck in stats class. Try to make the most of it. It really is important in the long run -- even if it doesn't seem to relate directly to patient care at first. As a beginner-level nurse, your practice will be mostly based on what other people tell you is the right thing to do. But as you become an experienced nurse and/or take a leadership role, you will need to rely increasingly on your ability to analyze the data for yourself and make the decision as to the best course of action. To do that well, you will need a solid foundation in statistics.

llg