The relationship between nursing students' mathematics ability and their performance in a drug calculation test

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Mathematics Skills
• Drug Calculations

Background:

• Accurate drug calculations are crucial for nursing practice.
• Despite mandatory drug calculation tests for nursing students, adverse events persist.
• Mathematics skills education may influence drug administration safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the link between prior mathematics education and nursing students' confidence in drug calculation tests.
• To understand how school mathematics experiences affect students' beliefs about their drug calculation abilities.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to 116 first-year Bachelor of Nursing students.
• The study assessed students' self-perceived mathematics knowledge and experiences.
• Student stress levels regarding the drug calculation test requirement were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Students with lower self-assessed math knowledge reported higher stress regarding the zero-error drug calculation test requirement.
• Younger students were more likely to experience stress related to the test.
• High school teachers had the most significant positive impact on students' mathematics interest.

Conclusions:

• Early and positive mathematics education experiences, particularly from high school teachers, are vital for nursing students' confidence.
• Addressing students' mathematics background may reduce test-related stress and potentially improve drug calculation accuracy.
• Further research into mathematics education's role in preventing drug administration errors is warranted.