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Preface
This book is the second edition and continues to be designed to assist ALL student healthcare workers in the field of calculations. It has also proved helpful for qualified healthcare professionals needing a little more practice and confidence. All exercises are related to practice and the healthcare environment. Chapter 1 incorporates a pre‐assessment quiz to identify any areas needing to be revisited. Chapters 2 and 3 take the reader through the maths basics. The book then goes through the ‘bread and butter’ of everyday calculations used on a daily basis in health care.
The book incorporates many activities to check understanding, and is laid out in a simple to follow step‐by‐step approach. It ends with Knowledge tests that relate everything the reader has learned, to practice situations. The book also incorporates an example of Employment Services calculations test papers, as newly‐qualified students and new healthcare employees are often asked to complete a calculations test when being interviewed for a job. All answers can be located at the back of the book.
The aim of this book is to start the individual on a journey through many healthcare‐related exercises in order to build confidence and competence. It has been compiled using quotes and tips from student nurses themselves; it is a book by students for students.
Claire Boyd
Bristol
Introduction
Hello, my name is Claire.
This is the second edition of a book written with the assistance of nursing students, informing me of what they wanted included in a book to help them with their nursing calculations.
I have been a Practice Development Trainer in a large NHS Trust for many years and a nurse for over 30 years. It has been my pleasure to teach literally thousands of students in a variety of healthcare related subjects including my favourite subject – nursing calculations. I know that not all of you share my passion, some have even told me that they feel physically sick at the mention of the word ‘mathematics’ and have expressed a fear of making a calculations error in drug administration and also taking a calculations test. Fear not, I will take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London (opps! Sorry that was a song) and lead you through some basic maths revision, leading on to more complex calculations and on to those dreaded maths tests. I think I am best placed to prepare you for the tests as I actually write many of them!
Nursing has certainly evolved since the first addition of this book, not least the development of the Nursing Associate. You will see many Glossary terms, such as the following one explaining the role of these highly skilled healthcare professionals.
The Nursing Associate is a member of the multidisciplinary nursing team in England that aims to bridge the gap between Health Care Assistants (HCA’s) and Registered Nurses (RN’s). Nursing Associates have been accepted onto the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) register in England since January 2019.
You will also see directions to websites to assist the reader, at the bottom of the chapter pages, like these ones:
USEFUL WEB RESOURCES:
This book came into fruition by listening to student nurses – their wants and needs. This second edition has included a wider audience Nursing Associates, Overseas nurses and many more, and I have been grateful for the reviews from students and other readers who have given me suggestions for improvements for the new edition:
1 More practice activities – tick
2 Title change for more inclusivity – tick
3 More test questions – tick
4 More on looking at budgets and interpreting data – tick
5 Pointers to websites – tick
There are test questions for student nurses, newly qualified nurses, nurse associates, nursing assistants, paediatric nurses, midwives, mental health nurses, learning disabilities nurses, and the nurse prescriber (NMP).