The Nurse, the Math, the Meds : Drug Calculations Using Dimensional Analysis

This text emphasizes the simplicity of the dimensional analysis method to help even those students with math anxiety minimize or eliminate medication calculation errors. It begins with a comprehensive review of general math skills and an explanation of basic dimensional analysis methodology. The book focuses on the analysis and setup of practice problems, formulation of a reasonable answer, and evaluation of the answer. This one-of-a-kind text is designed for nursing students at all levels, including graduate nurses and practicing nurses who want a refresher. It is an appropriate text selection for agency in-service programs as well as for physician assistant medication math courses.

• A companion CD-ROM packaged with the text offers additional practice problems.
• A self-assessment test precedes the comprehensive math review in Chapter 1, promoting a strong math foundation.
• Chapter 2 introduces the dimensional analysis method and includes several basic practice problems, facilitating consistent application of the method throughout the text.
• The analysis and setup of practice problems increases comprehension, reduces errors, and complements use of the dimensional analysis method.
• To help reduce medication errors, the text follows JCAHO and ISMP recommendations regarding avoidance of ambiguous abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols.
• Each chapter begins with a quick overview of chapter contents to orient students as they prepare to read and study the material.
• The text's full-color design includes a special margin section in which students can work out practice problems on the spot.
• Rapid Practice exercises follow each main concept, allowing students to review even when their study time is limited or frequently interrupted.
• Test Tips enhance comprehension and improve students' test-taking skills and comfort level.
• Selected Mnemonics are supplied to facilitate memorization and conserve learning time.
• Red Arrow Alerts call attention to critical math concepts and patient-safety theory as well as to key nursing practice issues.
• FAQs and Answers are derived from students' actual classroom questions. They are particularly helpful to students who are studying outside of a traditional classroom environment.
• Ask Yourself questions help students comprehend and synthesize content.
• Communication boxes, which present sample nurse-patient and nurse-prescriber dialogues, illustrate clinical applications of medication administration.
• Cultural boxes describe selected math-notation and medication-related cultural practices.
Clinical Relevance boxes show how abstract concepts, such as legal issues, apply to everyday clinical practice.
• Website addresses and other useful references are provided where applicable.
• Two chapter finals are included at the end of each chapter, one multiple-choice format and one traditional format, with answers provided in the back of the book.
• Two comprehensive finals, one using an NCLEX examination-style multiple-choice format and one following a traditional format, test the major concepts covered in the text and offer an opportunity for additional practice.
• An answer key in the back of the book contains step-by-step solutions to the Rapid Practice exercises, chapter finals, and comprehensive text finals, allowing the student to pinpoint specific areas for further review.

Joyce L. Mulholland, APRN, BC, MA, MS, Nursing Education Consultant, Tucson, AZ