Medical Math... a couple of scarey and challenging words.

 This book will provide you with the math skills for calculating dosages of medications you need to administer to your patient.

  The first in a series, this book starts at review of basic math skills and advances to calculating oral, intramuscular and subcutaneous medications.

(This is small enough to carry with you on clinicals and such.)

Simple Conversions

Lets get started on conversion factors. In the back of the book is a list of many conversions. There are really only 5 that you will use.

1 kg. = 2.2 lbs.

1 gm. = 1000mg.

1 tsp. = 5 cc

1 oz = 30 cc

1 L. = 1000ml.

Example:

Follow the rules as steps.

Problem 25 lbs. = _____kg.

Find the conversion factor 1 kg. = 2.2 lbs.

Set up the line 1 kg. : 2.2 lbs. = x kg. : 25 lbs.

* remember that you must place the conversion factor then your problem. If you write the kg first on one side of the equal sign the you must write kg first in the other side of the equal sign.

Multiply the two outer numbers 1 kg. : 2.2 lbs. = x kg. : 25 lbs.

 1kg. X 25 lbs. = 25

Multiply the two inner numbers

1 kg. : 2.2 lbs. = x kg. : 25 lbs.

2.2 lbs. X x kg. = 2.2x

Place the new values into your equation 25 = 2.2 x

Drop the lbs., and keep x

Solve for x

25 ÷ 2.2 = 2.2x ÷ 2.2

* remember for x to be alone you must divide the number beside x into itself. What you do on one side of the equal sign you must do on the other side.

25   =  2.2 x

2.2       2.2

11.36 = x

25 lbs = 11.36 kg (answer)

Kathryn is an ER nurse at Lebonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN. She is currently enrolled at ASU  in the RN program.

David is a Pharmacist and together they own and operate a Pharmacy in rural Arkansas.