Do You Have to be Good at Math and Science to be a Nurse? - Nurse Money Talk (2024)

FAQs

Can I be a nurse if I'm bad at math? ›

If you had a bad experience or struggled with math as a kid, you've probably done a good job of avoiding it most your life. But nursing school isn't high school. You can't fail a test and still pass the class simply by turning in your homework or memorizing the equations—there are no math shortcuts in nursing.

To be an effective nurse, you need a good understanding of how biology and chemistry work in the human body. Nursing programs are designed so students learn everything about science they need to know in order to achieve this outcome.

Nursing in the "real world" generally requires very basic math skills, but almost all programs require at least one college-level math class — usually algebra. Some nursing schools may require a basic statistics course as well, so if you know what schools you're applying to, be sure to check for this requirement.

A learning disability should not stop you from becoming a nurse. Explore these strategies that can help you successfully complete school and take care of patients.

Also Nurses use algebra for drawing up IV mediations in liquid form. For example if you are giving 2mg of Morphine and the vial is a 4mg vial you have to be able to calculate the right dose. Another way that math is used is by converting between systems. Most measurements in meditation are based on the metric system.

Seek out nursing schools that look at GPA in different ways.

Some accept GPAs as low as 2.5, some only consider your GPA for nursing-specific prerequisites or during your last 60 hours of coursework, and some schools ignore your GPA altogether as long as you've completed the prerequisites.

Pharmacology, Microbiology, and Anatomy & Physiology each have a well-earned reputation for being difficult to pass. Some students may find Cardiology, Chemistry, or even Mental Health especially trying.

Nursing school requires you to learn about the human body, usually there is a physiology & anatomy course. If you are becoming an RN you will be required to learn more complex things and need the scientific understanding behind what you do.

Nursing school is tough, with graduation rates for bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs averaging 50%. The science-and-math-heavy coursework and additional requirements like clinical placements and hands-on lab work make for a challenging program.

Math is an essential skill for nurses to have because they use formulas to help them determine how much to put into intravenous therapy (IV) fluid drips, injections and oral medications. The more nurses practice their math skills, the more confident they may feel when using them on the job.

How hard is algebra? ›

To some people it comes more naturally, but to others, it can be difficult to master. But, just like not everyone is a great singer or cook or swimmer or pianist, not everyone is great at math. Even if you struggle with algebra or other math classes, there are ways to help yourself have an easier time in class.

Calculus is widely regarded as a very hard math class, and with good reason. The concepts take you far beyond the comfortable realms of algebra and geometry that you've explored in previous courses. Calculus asks you to think in ways that are more abstract, requiring more imagination.

Overall, being an intensive care unit nurse is not for the faint of heart, and it just may be one of the hardest nursing specialties out there.

Many entering the nursing profession start as generalist RNs before moving to other roles. You can become an RN in two years, but many employers now prefer nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which takes four years to complete.

Lynch notes that pharmacology is one of the most difficult classes for nursing students, but is essential to patient care. According to the FDA, there are over 20,000 prescription drug products approved for marketing.

And yes, most NCLEX prep courses allow use of calculators. There are calculators all over the clinical setting as well. The Pyxis unit and infusion pumps have calculator features on them as well. The nurse can also bring and use her own calculator.

Nurses' math use is often practical algebra, such as addiction, division, multiplication, and subtraction. Even when performing conversions from imperial units to metric, or vice-versa, the formulas used won't involve things like advanced calculus.

Dyscalculia is a term referring to a wide range of difficulties with maths, including weaknesses in understanding the meaning of numbers, and difficulty applying mathematical principles to solve problems. Dyscalculia is rarely identified early.