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An analysis of student nurses' medication calculation errors

D M Gillham, S Chu

    Contemporary Nurse
    |June 1, 1995
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Many nursing students struggle with drug calculations due to poor basic arithmetic skills, leading to potentially dangerous medication errors. Addressing these fundamental math gaps is crucial for patient safety.

    Area of Science:

    • Nursing Education
    • Pharmacology
    • Medical Mathematics

    Background:

    • Accurate drug calculation is a critical skill for nursing students.
    • Medication errors pose significant risks to patient safety.
    • Previous studies highlight the importance of mathematical proficiency in nursing practice.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To analyze the mathematical basis of errors in drug calculations among nursing students.
    • To identify specific areas of mathematical difficulty impacting drug calculation accuracy.
    • To inform educational strategies for improving drug calculation competency.

    Main Methods:

    • A written drug calculation test was administered to 158 pre-registration second-year nursing students.
    • Student errors were collectively analyzed to determine the underlying mathematical reasons.

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  • Error categories included division, formula use, fraction multiplication, and approximation.

    • Main Results:

    • A significant number of students demonstrated limited understanding of fundamental arithmetic principles.
    • Many errors were large in magnitude, indicating potential for dangerous drug dosage inaccuracies.
    • The most frequent errors occurred in division, formula application, fraction multiplication, and approximation.

    Conclusions:

    • Nursing students' drug calculation deficits stem from basic arithmetic weaknesses.
    • The prevalence of errors in formula use suggests calculators alone are insufficient solutions.
    • Enhanced foundational math training is essential to improve drug calculation skills and patient safety.