Nursing mathematics: the importance of application

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Mathematics Education

Background:

• Student nurses often struggle with mathematics, impacting their clinical practice.
• Traditional classroom learning may not adequately prepare students for real-world nursing calculations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing mathematics revision program.
• To identify challenges student nurses face in applying mathematical concepts in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A revision program was implemented for student nurses.
• Student performance was assessed through written tests.
• Student experiences were gathered via interviews.

Main Results:

• The revision program led to significant improvements in test results.
• Some students continued to perform poorly on written assessments.
• Students reported difficulties bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application.

Conclusions:

• While revision programs can enhance test performance, practical application remains a key challenge.
• Experiential learning ('doing' mathematics) is crucial for student nurses' understanding.
• Encouraging clinical practice with mathematics is recommended for better skill integration.