Math For Nurses A Pocket Guide to Dosage Calculation and Drug Preparation

Help your students learn to calculate dosages accurately with this easy-to-use pocket guide.

Packed with real clinical examples and practice problems, Math for Nurses includes a review of basic math skills, measurement systems, and drug calculations/preparations, making it ideal for use in clinical settings or as a study aid. The book’s step-by-step approach coupled with frequent examples that illustrate problem-solving helps students develop the knowledge and skills they need to calculate dosages effectively and improve the accuracy of drug delivery.

Highlights of the 9th Edition

• Complete: This is the only dosage calculation pocket reference available today that covers the steps of drug preparation.
• Comprehensive: All methods of dosage calculations are used, including ratio, proportion, formula, and dimensional analysis.
• Hands-on: Practice problems throughout the text and end-of-chapter and end-of-unit review questions aid students' application and recall of material
• Practical: A handy pull-out quick-reference card contains basic equivalents, conversion factors, and math formulas.
• Interactive: Virtual Chalkboard tutorials (followed by quizzes) solve problems step-by-step using three different methods with a voice over that explains each step.

Mary Jo Boyer, RN, PhDVice Provost and Vice PresidentBranch Campus OperationsAdjunct Nursing FacultyFormer Dean and Professor of NursingDelaware County Community CollegeMedia, Pennsylvania

UNIT 1
Basic Mathematics Review and Refresher 1
1 Preassessment Test: Mathematics Skills Review 3
2 Fractions 9
The Denominator of a Fraction 10
The Numerator of a Fraction 12
Concept of Size 13
Types of Fractions and Value 15
Equivalent or Equal Fractions 17
Simplify or Reduce Fractions to Their Lowest Terms 18
Find the Least Common Denominator 20
Conversion 21
Adding Fractions 24
Adding Mixed Numbers 28
Subtracting Fractions 29
Subtracting Mixed Numbers 31
Multiplying Fractions 36
Dividing Fractions 38
End of Chapter Review 42
3 Decimals 45
Compare Decimal Values 49
Adding Decimals 51
Subtracting Decimals 52
Multiplying Decimals 53
Multiplying by 10, 100, or 1,000 55
Dividing Decimals 55
Dividing by 10, 100, or 1,000 57
Changing Fractions to Decimals 60
Changing Decimals to Fractions 61
Rounding Off Decimals 62
End of Chapter Review 64
4 Percents, Ratio, and Proportion 67
Percent 68
Fractions and Percents 69
Decimals and Percents 72
Ratio and Proportion 76
Use of Ratio and Proportion: Solving for x 79
End of Chapter Review 88
End of Unit 1 Review 93
UNIT 2
Measurement Systems 97
5 The Metric, Household, and Apothecary Systems of
Measurement 99
The Metric System 100
Meter—Length 102
Liter—Volume 102
Gram—Weight 102
The Apothecary System 103
Household Measurements 106
Converting Within the Same System: Metric System 110
Converting Within the Same Systems: Household and
Apothecary 113
End of Chapter Review 116
6 Approximate Equivalents and System Conversions 119
Dosage Calculations: Converting Between Systems 120
End of Chapter Review 125
End of Unit 2 Review 128
UNIT 3
Dosage Calculations 131
7 Medication Labels 134
Interpreting a Medication Label 135
End of Chapter Review 142
8 Oral Dosage Calculations 145
Calculating Oral Dosages 147
Dosage Calculations for Medications in the Same System
and the Same Unit of Measurement 156
Dosage Calculations for Medications in the Same System
but with Different Units of Measurement 160
Dosage Calculations for Medications in Different
Systems 163
End of Chapter Review 168
9 Parenteral Dosage Calculations 172
Packaging, Syringes, and Needles 173
Types of Injections 176
Dosage Calculations for Medications in the Same System
and the Same Unit of Measurement 177
Dosage Calculations for Medications in the Same System
but Having Different Units of Measurement 181
Dosage Calculations for Medications in Different
Systems 182
Penicillin 184
End of Chapter Review 186
10 Intravenous Therapy 191
Key Terms 192
Intravenous Fluids 193
Intravenous Infusion Sets and Lines 196
Infusion Devices 198
Calculate Intravenous Fluid Administration 199
Calculate Infusion Time in Hours and Minutes 202
Calculate Flow Rate in Milliliters per Hour for Gravity or
Pump Infusions 203
Calculate IV Drip Rate or Drops per Minute 206
Constant Factors 210
Intermittent Intravenous Administration 212
End of Chapter Review 218
11 Intravenous Therapies 221
Calculate Flow Rate (Milliliters
per Hour) When Dosage Is Known 223
Calculate Dosage, per Hour or per Minute, When Flow Rate
Is Known 228
Titrate IV Fluids 233
End of Chapter Review 235
12 Insulin 242
Insulin Preparation 243
Types of Insulin 244
Insulin Delivery Devices 247
Insulin Administration 252
Preparing Insulin for Injection 253
Mixing Two Types of Insulin in One Syringe 254
Continuous Intravenous Insulin Infusion 258
End of Chapter Review 260
13 Heparin Preparation and Dosage Calculations 264
Heparin for Subcutaneous Injection 268
Heparin for Intravenous Infusion 271
Calculate Heparin Flow Rate (Milliliters per Hour) When
Units of Heparin per Hour Are Ordered 272
Calculate Heparin Dosage (Units per Hour) When Heparin Is
Ordered in Milliliters per Hour 275
Heparin Administration Based on Weight 276
Weight-Based Heparin Protocol 278
End of Chapter Review 283
14 Pediatric Dosage Calculations and Intravenous
Therapy 289
Weight Conversions 293
Estimate Safe Total Daily Dosage 298
Calculate Oral and Parenteral Dosages Based on Body
Weight (Milligrams per Kilogram) 300
Estimate Body Surface Area 304
Dosage Calculations Based on Body Surface Area 305
Calculate Intravenous Flow Rate 312
Calculate Intermittent Intravenous Medication Administration
(Intravenous Piggyback [IVPB]) 314
Calculate IV Push (IVP) Medications 320
End of Chapter Review 322
15 Solutions and Drug Reconstitution 330
Ratio and Proportion 331
Reconstitution: Preparing Injections Packaged as
Powders 332
Preparing an Oral or Enteral Feeding 338
Preparing a Topical Irrigating Solution 340
End of Chapter Review 341
End of Unit 3 Review 343
Answers 353
Appendices
A. Roman Numerals 377
B. Rounding Off Decimals 380
C. Abbreviations for Drug Preparation and
Administration 382
D. Intradermal Injections 386
E. Subcutaneous Injections 388
F. Intramuscular Injections 390
G. Z-Track Injections 392
H. Pediatric Intramuscular Injections 395
I. Nursing Concerns for Pediatric Drug
Administration 397
J. Nursing Considerations for Critical Care
Drug Administration 399
K. Nursing Considerations for Medication
Administration for the Trauma Patient 401
L. Nursing Concerns for Geriatric Drug
Administration 403
M. Needleless Intravenous System 406
N. Temperature Conversions: Fahrenheit and
Celsius Scales 408
Index 411