Explain the importance of medication math skills for nurses and how this relates to patient
safety.
Practicing drug calculations will help nurses develop stronger and more confident math skills.
Many drugs require some type of calculation prior to administration. The drug calculations range
in complexity from requiring a simple conversion calculation to a more complex calculation for
drugs administered by mcg/kg/min. Regardless of the drug to be administered, careful and
accurate calculations are important to help prevent medication errors.
Verbalize basic conversion and abbreviation terms.
0
Calculate basic medication problems.
0
2 tabs
Ordered: Ciprofloxacin 500 mg PO BID .
How many tablets do you give per dose?
1.5 tabs
Ordered: Synthroid 0.15 mg PO daily
How many tablets do you give?
6.7 mL
Ordered: Cefaclor 250 mg PO TID
How many mL do you give for this dose?
1.5 mL
Ordered: Vistaril 75 mg IM now.
How many mL will you giveeach dose?
0.4 mL
Ordered: Haldol 2 mg IM BID
How many mL will you give in each dose using a
TB syringe?
safety.
Practicing drug calculations will help nurses develop stronger and more confident math skills.
Many drugs require some type of calculation prior to administration. The drug calculations range
in complexity from requiring a simple conversion calculation to a more complex calculation for
drugs administered by mcg/kg/min. Regardless of the drug to be administered, careful and
accurate calculations are important to help prevent medication errors.
Verbalize basic conversion and abbreviation terms.
0
Calculate basic medication problems.
0
2 tabs
Ordered: Ciprofloxacin 500 mg PO BID .
How many tablets do you give per dose?
1.5 tabs
Ordered: Synthroid 0.15 mg PO daily
How many tablets do you give?
6.7 mL
Ordered: Cefaclor 250 mg PO TID
How many mL do you give for this dose?
1.5 mL
Ordered: Vistaril 75 mg IM now.
How many mL will you giveeach dose?
0.4 mL
Ordered: Haldol 2 mg IM BID
How many mL will you give in each dose using a
TB syringe?
