The Physics of Anesthesia

yes, school will teach you everything you need to know. not a ton of math, especially with your experience with gtts. the physics is about gas laws mostly.

Ok

So if there is one thing that im the worst at its math, in any form. Hence the reason i carry a palm pilot with all my drug info etc. However, im sure this wont be a choice on tests and in the anesthesia physics section in school!

How bad was/is it? Did you find it harder than standard physics? I notice it isnt a requirement to apply so it must be something they teach from scratch?

Thanks!

You've misplaced your apostrophes....I'll lend you one of mine.

[ ' ]

damn wireless laptop

Holy Dalton Batman................mac is bad at something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL...just had to bust your chops pal. Math is the one thing I'm not worried about...everything else, that's another story. I just hope this old brain is still capable of retaining something.

I am a total math retard and I am still doing well in school. Heck, I still count on my fingers. You need to know basic algebra and med math-- like how many mcgs are in a 1:200,000 conc. of Epi or if you have 2 cc of 0.75% Bupivicaine for a spinal, how many mgs is that? The physics stuff is really basic, just simple gas laws mostly and stuff about myocardial wall tension (law of LaPlace). Don't sweat it, seriously.

hehe

thanks, sadly, im a lazy typer... but you wouldnt want to see my writing.

You've misplaced your apostrophes....I'll lend you one of mine.

[ ' ]

Hey ray

Oh, thats just the begging of a long list

Holy Dalton Batman................mac is bad at something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL...just had to bust your chops pal. Math is the one thing I'm not worried about...everything else, that's another story. I just hope this old brain is still capable of retaining something.

hehe

well that is just one of the concerns i have about CRNA school! However, i am not only a member of the Math retards of American, im the president and founder.

I am a total math retard and I am still doing well in school. Heck, I still count on my fingers. You need to know basic algebra and med math-- like how many mcgs are in a 1:200,000 conc. of Epi or if you have 2 cc of 0.75% Bupivicaine for a spinal, how many mgs is that? The physics stuff is really basic, just simple gas laws mostly and stuff about myocardial wall tension (law of LaPlace). Don't sweat it, seriously.

If you can work as a critical care nurse you can figure out the math. I'm not a whiz either and I tend to double-check myself, which drives my preceptors crazy because I slow things down. But the math is nowhere near as hard as the physiology.

My suggestion is you put down the palm, give up the cheat sheet, hide the tables that you have been relying on in the ICU and pick up a paper and pencil each time you need to calculate and get over your weakness, yes, even put down the calculator. Daily I have SRNAs tell me I'm so weak at math, let me use my "aids" what ever they are and get through the day. I have them put down their crap, and we learn to do it a couple of times and guess what, the weakest ones learn eventually. You'll learn it to if you want to.

My suggestion is you put down the palm, give up the cheat sheet, hide the tables that you have been relying on in the ICU and pick up a paper and pencil each time you need to calculate and get over your weakness, yes, even put down the calculator. Daily I have SRNAs tell me I'm so weak at math, let me use my "aids" what ever they are and get through the day. I have them put down their crap, and we learn to do it a couple of times and guess what, the weakest ones learn eventually. You'll learn it to if you want to.

here is what is wrong with your theory

You are always able, in daily practice, to have your palm or you cheat sheets. Why would you ever want to rely on hand calculations for something so dangerous? While its nice you have learned how to do math by hand, i think its adding risk to your job and the patient.

I give meds everyday that are dangerous, do i know the calcs and the doses, sure i do. Do i consistantly check it via my palm or some cheat sheet? Absolutely, its the right thing, and the safest thing to do.

Again, its great that you can do it. However, in this day and age where 131-292 / 100000 hospital patient deaths are caused by medical errors ,drug calcs being nearly 50% of those (ref at bottom), your always better checking with a guarenteed device.

Kohn L, Corrigan J, Donaldson M, eds. To Err Is Human: Building

a Safer Health System. Washington DC: Committee on Quality of

Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine, National Academy

Press; 2000.