The Nursing Math Thread

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A member pm'd me the following question highlighted below. We created this thread for you guys to talk about math, solve math problems, and post math websites that you have found helpful.

I was wondering, is there a sticky or a special site that can be coordinated for "math sufferers". Perhaps, beginning calculations or shall i say the basics..simple to complex...step by step on how to calculate. I'm a visual learner, numbers and I don't work well. I am trying, but I've got a block!

I found "Calculate with Confidence" by by Deborah Morris to be an excellent resourse. It walks through problem solving using all three methods (DA, ratio/proportion and formula). Makes it easy to figure out what works best for you.

Hey- I just checked the books I had to buy for this semester, and that's one of them! Hopefully it'll be as helpful for me as you say.

I don't have pharmacology until the second 8 week session.

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I took a med math class before starting nursing school because we had a test on calculations that we had to get an 85% or we would be asked to leave school, the professor showed us the different ways to solve the calcs and then showed us that one equation would work for all problems no matter what conversions needed to be done. It is called dimensional analysis and it works for everything once you understand how to use it! I recomend this equation to every body.

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I had a little difficulty with math as well and I tried seraching n google. I wrote medication calculation, an I checked the first three sites that came up. What a nice surprise! They were very helpful. They expalined everything including conversions, IV rate..... They also have quizes where you can practice and recheck your answer. I hope this help you!! There is no nee to expend money in a book when you can fin info online!:up:

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HI can I join this thread

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Specializes in ER.

what is the formula for calculating body surface area AND how do i go about doing it?

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
what is the formula for calculating body surface area AND how do i go about doing it?

There are several methods of doing this. They are posted on this website:

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I had a little difficulty with math as well and I tried seraching n google. I wrote medication calculation, an I checked the first three sites that came up. What a nice surprise! They were very helpful. They expalined everything including conversions, IV rate..... They also have quizes where you can practice and recheck your answer. I hope this help you!! There is no nee to expend money in a book when you can fin info online!:up:

exactly... internet is very helpful. when i was taking my accounting subjects way back to my business degree i always rely on the quizzes on the internet. they give nice tips on how to make things easier. i hope that internet will be helpful too in my new course.

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Hello all...

I have been reading through the threads here and see that I am not the only SN with math issues. I just had to withdraw from my program due to not passing with 95% or better on our math exam. I got an 85%. I'm devastated. I appealed it since I already have a test anxiety documented and they still denied me. Mostly its anxiety with having to pass with 95% or better and also fear of failure.

My issue is this....I WANT to be a nurse. My clinical grade along with med surg grades are A and B. But I'm told I cant continue in the program. How hard is it to tranfer into another program when you have had to withdraw? I am looking at other schools. I feel that I'm paying them to teach me and they can just say goodbye without any consideration of the fact that you just worked your butt off for 1year and a half only to be told to leave because of MATH. I know how to do it...but my fear of failing turns into panic and I cant seem to get the info from my brain to the test.....anyone want to share this frustration!!!

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this is more an algebra question and I can not seem to get basic understanding to solve this problem. Here is the question I found on an online study guide.

If Sally can paint a house in 4 hours, and John can paint the same house in 6 hour, how long will it take for both of them to paint the house together?

....here is what I have so far,,, It seems the time to complete the project together would be less than the 4 hours Sally needs, since John is contributing although at a slower pace, but what is the actual formula to work out a solution? At first I thought maybe combining the 4 and 6 hours to come up with an average, but that's more than Sally takes alone, and therefore can not be right. I am soo confused.

Help

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
If Sally can paint a house in 4 hours, and John can paint the same house in 6 hour, how long will it take for both of them to paint the house together?

T/4
(what Sally can do in 1 hour)
+ T/6
(what John can do in 1 hour)
= 1
(one hour, where T = time)

6T + 4T/24 = 1

10T/24 = 1`

10T = 24

T = 24/10

T = 2.4
(this would be hours)

or

1
/(
1/4 + 1/6
)

= 1
/
(
6 + 4
)/
24

= 24
/
10

=
2.4 hours

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1
/(
1/4 + 1/6
)

= 1
/
(
6 + 4
)/
24

= 24
/
10

=
2.4 hours

yeah right! things are easier with calculator

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
yeah right! things are easier with calculator

There are several different types of algebra word problems. You just have to know how to set them up. Once that it done, then you can use a calculator to solve the actual math. However, FYI, I did this by hand.

There are one or two little books that you can buy as supplements to help you learn how to do algebra word problems. They are not expensive. Once you understand what a word problem is asking for and how to set up the equation for it properly, the rest is just solving the equation. Algebra for Dummies has a section in it on solving word problems that explained some of the types of word problems pretty well. For work problems (the kind like the one above) I had a small supplemental book that did a better job of explaining those and showing examples of how to work them. To learn how to do these types of word problems you have to sit with a book that shows how they are solved and slowly go through the steps of solving them. Then, you have to work examples. You have to be able to distinguish on tests what type of a word problem you are presented with (mixture, work, time/distance) so you know how to set up the equation correctly.

These work problems can get complex. I remember my algebra instructor giving us a problem like this on a test where workers were doing a job, but he added the element of the number of days involved which made the resulting equation more complex.

There are also websites that show you how to set up and work these types of algebra word problems.

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