idb
Gold Member
- Dec 26, 2010
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You need both to understand how to do the math and also understand how to to the process. Getting the right answer without understand how you got it really isn't any good; understanding the process then screwing up the basic math isn't any good.
If I know that 3x4 = 12 but do not know to multiply L x W, then I won't get the right answer because I don't understand the process of how.
If I understand to the process and know to multiply L x W (3 x 4) but give 11 as the answer, then I won't get the right answer because I didn't do the math right.
As someone who sucks ... and I mean SUCKS at math ... I struggled with it all through grade school, and summer school before high school, high school and college. Had to take the 'refresher' course before I could take the math I needed for college. Seriously, my brain doesn't do math well at all.
I remember not understanding the process and therefore not getting the right answer, so I got the whole thing wrong. I remember understanding the process (at some point, sometimes, something clicked) then I'd screw it up by doing the basic, simple math part of it wrong. And it would happen again, and again, and again. The nuns marked it wrong. Later, in college, the teachers would give me partial credit.
Thing is, when I was young and I made a dumb math mistake and I'd get the whole answer wrong? I always thought it was because I didn't understand the process ... even when that part was right. If the teachers or my parents went over it with me, I'd see my mistake. But when the next word problem came along? Lather, rinse, repeat.
I can't do math in my head either.
I love calculators.
Personally, I have a fairly literal way of understanding things.
I like to be able to visualise something in my head.
If I can work out a way of seeing in my minds eye how an equation works then I can understand it.
Something like quantum mechanics will probably always be a mystery to me because I can't visualise how it works.
If you were my patient in a hospital, I would be able to calculate your IV drip rate, you medicine to the nearest nanogram, and count out all your pills for the day. A lot of nurses these days cannot do any of that. We always gave a math question on our tests. Here was my question:
You are a community health nurse. You have an indigent patient who needs medication but has no insurance. You have on hand samples of Zyprexa the pharm rep left last visit. Each bottle contains 7 ten milligram pills. It takes 28 days to get the patient on Tenncare. How many bottles will you give him to last until he has insurance. They would turn in two pages of equations and still have the wrong answer.
Another. Doctors order says: Haldol Decanoate 150mg IM every 4 weeks. You have on hand Haldol Decanoate in 100mg/1ml vials. How many ml do you give the patient IM every 4 weeks? I can figure these in my head. But your nurse likely will not be able to solve either one of them.
Scary isn't it?
It's a shame alright.
The greatest risk, as I see it, is relying so much on mathemalculating machines that the operator can't even see if an answer is reasonable or not.
Mind you, I can't get the answer to the first problem Sunshine.
Is there something missing...do I need to know the dosage or is that something a nurse would just know?
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