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.
