Nurses have a professional responsibility to ensure the safety of their patients. Nowhere is this more pertinent than in the administration of medicines. Student nurses are taught the basic maths skills to calculate medicine doses during their training. However, at University this may rely on interactive software programmes which do not always adapt to the learner's specific needs, and may not help some students. Qualified nurses already in practice often don't feel confident enough to explain the maths to someone who doesn't understand.

 

The specific set of maths skills required by nurses are so vital to patient safety that I have developed a teaching method to make it simpler and easier to understand. The method does not rely on a calculator, because people who find maths challenging are at a much higher risk of failing to notice an incorrect answer on the display.

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Adults who struggle with maths can feel embarrassed and anxious when faced with a calculation, and it is not uncommon to develop avoiding strategies. Not everyone can be a maths genius, but in nursing it is essential to have a firm grasp of key skills in order to maintain patient safety and prevent errors. You can read about my qualifications and background here.