Was anyone else terrible at math? Dosages?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all,

I am soooo interested in a health career but the only thing holding me back is my lack of aptitude in math. Was anyone else terrible at math, but somehow managed to learn dosage calcs? Whenever I see a math problem, especially a word problem, my brain immediately freezes up! I can do simple math fine, but I was looking at some example dosage problems and was immediately terrified.

If you were poor in math, did you find yourself struggling through you ADN or LPN program, or did math start to become natural to you after a while? Did you take a dosage prep course? Did it help?

Math, eeek!! :o

Thanks

Rhonda

Now, you're going to get word questions like,

Mary has been prescribed 1000 mg of Tylenol QID PO. Her b/p is stable. She is also on NS 0.9% and Cardizem for her a-fib. You have 0.5 g Tylenol tabs. How many Tylenol does she get?

See? Two Tylenol. Filter out the stuff that is there specifically to confuse you.

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Specializes in B.S. Psychology.
Now, you're going to get word questions like,

Mary has been prescribed 1000 mg of Tylenol QID PO. Her b/p is stable. She is also on NS 0.9% and Cardizem for her a-fib. You have 0.5 g Tylenol tabs. How many Tylenol does she get?

See? Two Tylenol. Filter out the stuff that is there specifically to confuse you.

Thanks, Sue. What are calculating infusion rates/ drip rates? That looks confusing!

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

Philisophical have you started the program yet? In 1st level of my nursing school like so many other I was mortified when they started talking about D over H and about all the conversion and then drip rates (micro macro), I was so ready to quit that day it all seemed like a foreign language. But its not and all really is quite easy, take one step one problem at a time. Not sure how your school does it but they should go in a sequence that will make it easy on you. If you jump ahead of what they are teaching you you may be overwhelmed. Start with conversion, then D over H, then drip rates/factors. I was horrible in math in HS and no college I got an A in pharmagology(med math included within).

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i'm also terrible at math, but now that i've graduated nursing school it's much easier (not always, but usually!). also, once you start doing the same formula over and over (for example, IV flow rates) it will become like second nature. and remember, when you're out in the field and you are unsure of a certain calculation, dont be afraid to ask someone to double check it for you. :)

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

Not only awful at math, but math-a-phobic.

However, as others have said, nursing math is not that complicated, you calcuate the problems the same way every time, and it's just not that hard.

Math should be the last thing to keep someone away from nursing!

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Thanks, Sue. What are calculating infusion rates/ drip rates? That looks confusing!

It's easy. You will be given a "drip factor." Drops = gtt. When you see gtt it just means drops.

Say you have a drip rate of 10. You have a liter of fluid to be infused (go into the person through an IV) in one hour.

It is always volume (in mililiters) x drip rate divided by time (in minutes).

volume = 1000 ml, or one liter

drip rate = 10

time = 60 minutes, or one hour

1000 x 10 / 60 = 10000/60 = 166.7, or 167

That's the whole schmear.

Now, you won't have to do this if the pumps work - unless the power goes. Then, you would use the clamp on the IV line to slow or speed up the infusion and literally count the drops per minute. Be thankful for generators and pumps.

:)

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