Almost every pharmacy does the dosage calculations on IV drips and injections that are premeasured, but I am the one administering them. I check, check and recheck all of the math before giving any medication. Once it's given, it cannot be taken back, and it could possibly be fatal. I would much rather take five or ten minutes doing a bit of math, knowing what I administered was safe for my patient.
Math is used in innumerable aspects of our nursing career. Believe me...I have been a nurse 48 years,,,you use it in almost everything we do!
You need to be able to calculate dosing, drips , convert temps and weights - as you progress in your career, almost all leadership deals with staffing ratio, costs, salaries, raises, etc
because there is a big difference between .5 and .05.
First of all, all medications will need to be calculated for your pt at some time of another. This is a very important part of your profession. Math is a huge part of your life as well. when you bake to have to calculate measurements, in order to bake a great cake. I hated math as a kid until my aunt told me I am going to need it all through life. All your critical care medication needs to be calculated. I do not rely on pharmacy to calculate my meds for me, but if they do, i recheck to ensure the safety of my pt. The other reason it is important to calculate and use your math skills is because we are all human and we make mistakes. Even your doctor will make a mistake at one point in his career which will affect your career and license. I was being taught the dosing pathways for heparin by a seasoned rn who did not know or like math. I asked her to help me understand the new dosing calculations and she had no idea. Would you want me or that nurse caring for your loved one? I have worked in many areas of nursing from med surg, icu, ER, cath lab, Occupational Health and teaching. MATH is our life...
You need math for drug calculations. Yes, the pharmacy does it but you are the last stop and people make mistakes. Also, the doctors order but the nurse makes sure it’s appropriate for the patient. If a doctor orders too much of something, your calculations could help in advocating for your patients. Being able to calculate a drug dose as a bedside nurse could mean life or death for your patient.
