6 Tips to ACE Your Dose Calc Exam

In this video, I'm gonna walk you through the must know tips to get every dosage calculation problem right in nursing school. I am so excited to do this video for you because these tips are going to help you be more confident and more prepared when you're doing dose calc problems in nursing school. And even though we have done a lot, a lot of dose calc videos here on this channel, I have never taught it quite in this way. So I'm really excited about this. So hit subscribe button and click the notification bell and let's dive in. So here's the problem with dose calc. Most nursing schools teach it in a really weird way, or maybe they don't even teach it at all. A lot of times they just expect you to know it or to figure it out yourself, which is not super helpful, right? So that's why I created a simple six step process to follow that ensures that you will get every dose calc problem right. So that is tip number one. Follow the step by step process that I lay out for you here in this video and you can also download this dose calc cheat sheet that walks you through it as well. If you follow those simple steps, you will get every dose calc problem right. Just take it from our other nursing students who love it. It is so, so helpful. Now tip number two is to read the entire question first. And I have to admit this tripped me up many times on my dose calc exams in nurs. Because here's what happens. I would start reading the question. I would assume that I knew what it was asking, and then I would solve it based on what I thought it was asking me for. But then when I went to check my work, I found out that I was solving for the wrong thing. Like I had the wrong units or something. It's so easy to assume that you know what the question is asking when it's actually asking for something else completely different. But you wouldn't catch on to that unless you actually read the entire question in the first place. So when you sit down to take your exam, just make sure to read the entire question first. Now, dosage calculation tip number three is to learn and memorize the dosage calculation conversions that you need to know. There are no two ways around it, my friend. You must memorize these. And when I say dose calc conversions, what I mean is like 1 milligram equals 1,000 micrograms or 1 liter equals 1,000 milliliters. There's three teaspoons in 1 tablespoon and 30 milliliters in 1 ounce and 1 kilogram is 2.2 pounds. There are a lot of dose count conversions to know, but you really need to take the time to just memorize them because the test isn't going to have them listed for you. You will have to use them when solving dose calc problems. So you'll need to have all of those dose calc conversions memorized ahead of time. And I know this can be a tough thing to do. So that's why we have a full set of dose calc flashcards inside of our nursing school dosage calculation box so that you can get@nurseingsos.com now this flashcard set contains all of the must know conversions for nursing school along with some that most nursing students forget about. Things like how to convert grains. I know that's a weird one, but it will show up on your exam sometime, so you need to know it so you can get these flashcards inside our doscalc box@nursingsos.com now the next tip I have for you is to use dimensional analysis. I know, shocker, right? If you've watched any of our other videos in the past on dose calc, you know I am fully against nursing students using formulas because there's really three problems with formulas. Three big problems. Number one, there are about a gazillion of them to memorize. Number two, you might not know which one to use for each question on your dose calc exam and you might end up using the wrong one, using the wrong formula, and then ultimately getting that dose calc problem wrong. And then number three, this may be the worst of them all. As you progress in your nursing program, you have to start solving for more complex dose calc problems. And formulas simply will not work. When you're dealing with heparin drips, multiple dose calc conversions, or pitocin calculations. The formula method will fail you. And I do not want you to get to your nursing school exam and get confused over what formula to use or realize ultimately that the formulas that you memorized won't work with the problem that the question is asking you. So that's why using dimensional analysis or the railroad track method, or railroad tracks, whatever you want to call it, it's just works. It works a ton better because literally all you have to do is put the numbers in the right place, multiply across the top line, multiply across the bottom line and divide. That is it. It's foolproof and you will get it right every single time as long as you just set the numbers up correctly. And if you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about when I say dimensional analysis. Don't worry my friend, I am here for you. I've got your back. I walk you through it step by in this video. So be sure to check that video out after you finish this one and get all of these tips that I'm telling you now. Tip number five is to always check your work. Now this is really, really important because dosage calculations can really be life or death. It's a life or death issue, right? We're talking about correctly calculating medication doses for our patients. So it's really important that you always get them right. That's why your nursing school program will require you to get 100% on your dose calc exam. And if you are lucky, maybe they'll allow you to pass with a 90%. But it's really rare to see a nursing program that will allow you to pass with less than a 90% simply because of that safety issue. You will be doing dose calc at clinical too, so you must know how to do it correctly. So always, always check your work. Not only will you possibly catch a mistake you made when answering a dose calc question on your exam, but checking your work may also save a patient's life. So it's really, really important. Now the next tip is to do practice problems over and over again. This is really the best way to gain confidence in solving dosage calculation problems. Practicing it again and again and again. Now, if you're a nursing SOS member, make sure to sign into your dashboard and check out the dosage calculation workbook that we have for you that is filled with practice problems. The more you practice the better and the more confident you're going to get at it. And if you are not a nursing SOS member, be sure to join the wait list to get in the next time that enrollment opens. We'll put the link down below in the description so you can check out all the details. Now that way you will be able to access these step by step dose calc videos that we have inside the membership community and that workbook with tons of practice problems for you. Now, of course there's three ways that I can help you more with dose calc in nursing school. Number one, be sure to download this free cheat sheet that walks you through the step by step process for acing your dose calc problems. Acing your dose calc exam. Don't miss out on that. Number two, get the nursing school dose calc box so that you can snag those flashcards get a full workbook with practice problems and all the other goodies inside the box to help you build confidence and pass your Dose Calc exam. You're going to love it. And of course, if you want me to hold your hand throughout nursing school, do not miss out on joining the Nursing SOS Membership community. It is filled with step by step nursing lectures to really help you understand everything so much faster, including a full step by step dose Calc course with those additional practice questions for you to go through so you can become more confident in that. Plus you'll get access to our wonderful nurses so that you can ask questions anytime you need. We are here to help. The links to all of those things are down below in the description. I'll put them there for you. And if you liked this video, be sure to hit that like button. Leave a comment below to let me know that you loved it. And of course share it with one of your nursing school friends who might also need help with Dose Calc. And be sure to subscribe and hit that notification bell so you never miss a video and click on one of these videos right over here so you can keep rocking nursing school. And as always my friend, go become the nurse that God created only you to be. And I'll catch you next time on the Nursing School show. Take care. Bye bye.