PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: DRUG CALCULATIONS, RATIOS AND PROPORTIONS - 4 CONTACT HOURS

Course overview

This course is designed to challenge the knowledge and skills of registered nurses who are responsible for calculating and adding medications to IV solutions. This course is especially good for nurses who may be returning to an acute care setting or nurses who have not been responsible for drug calculations for a while and now are responsible for accurately making such calculations. It is the professional responsibility of the nurse to insure that NO errors occur in the preparation and administering of medications. It is each nurses responsibility to check the doctor’s order for completeness and correctness; you must validate that the patient is not allergic to the ordered medication; determine whether there are any drug interactions; and ensure that the medication is accurately prepared, labeled, administered, and evaluated. Learning Objectives 1.Perform basic arithmetic calculations. 2.Relate the equivalents for a household measurement system. 3.Relate the equivalents for the apothecaries system. 4.Relate the equivalents for the metric system. 5.Convert among the systems of measurement. 6.Accurately calculate oral, parenteral and intravenous dosages using ratio and proportion, including for pediatric dosages that are based on body weight. This course will provide you with a review of your knowledge, as well as opportunity to practice your skills and abilities to calculate accurate dosages and solution rates using ratio and proportion. The course involves basic mathematics as well as review and challenges to calculate dosages using ratio and proportion methods.