Aug 17, 2008, 04:26 pm
Last edited Aug 17, 2008, 04:26 pm
update #1
BY Div 1 I assume you mean an RN (Qld). The maths can be a little difficult but like anything practice and more practice will get you there.
During my degree it has not always been medication type maths as there was a maths component in chemistry ie. working out pH, mass, volumes etc.
The medication component is something that is the RNs bread and butter so yes you have to be able to work out dosages, concentrations, be able to convert to mls/hr, mcg/hr, mls/min, mcg/kg/min, mg/ml etc etc. You have to be able to know if the dose that is ordered is correct and then how to prepare it.
For some the maths is a real headache, however, you have to work at your weaknesses and nothing feels better than getting a maths problem sorted out.
Google Flinders University Basic Drug Calculations to get an idea. Also there are a heap of sites on the net to give you further nursing calculations info. The American sites may not be as helpful as the Aussie ones as they tend to deal with different units of measurement to us here.
