Patients are sometimes prescribed intravenous fluids, which must be administered by a nurse. In the absence of an infusion pump, the nurse must be able to calculate the flow rate for the fluids and set the flow rate accordingly.
Children receive medication based on how much they weigh. Because of this, a nurse must know how to calculate the amount of medication that a child receives to avoid overdosing or underdosing.
Medication prescriptions are written in a particular order. Nursing math problems expose the nursing student to this format, so that she can read and interprete prescriptions correctly.
Medication may be prescribed in one unit of measure and be available in another unit of measure. The nurse should be able to convert measurements from one form to another in order to give the medication at the right dosage.
A nurse must solve math problems on tests, exams or during practice to learn how to give the right medication to the intended patient at the right time, via the correct route. Such math skills also help to prevent medication errors.