Biomaterial Database

Medication calculation skills of graduating nursing students in Finland. 2001

H Grandell-Niemi, and M Hupli, and H Leino-Kilpi

University of Tarku, Majoitusmestarinkatu 1 G 55, FIN-20360 Turku, Finland. grandell@dlc.fi)

The aim of this study was to describe the basic mathematical proficiency and the medication calculation skills of graduating nursing students in Finland. A further concern was with how students experienced the teaching of medication calculation. We wanted to find out whether these experiences were associated with various background factors and the students' medication calculation skills. In spring 1997 the population of graduating nursing students in Finland numbered around 1280; the figure for the whole year was 2640. A convenience sample of 204 students completed a questionnaire specially developed for this study. The instrument included structured questions, statements and a medication calculation test. The response rate was 88%. Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics. The students found it hard to learn mathematics and medication calculation skills. Those who evaluated their mathematical and medication calculation skills as sufficient successfully solved the problems included in the questionnaire. It was felt that the introductory course on medication calculation was uninteresting and poorly organised. Overall the students' mathematical skills were inadequate. One-fifth of the students failed to pass the medication calculation test. A positive correlation was shown between the student's grade in mathematics (Sixth Form College) and her skills in medication calculation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008433	Mathematics	The deductive study of shape, quantity, and dependence. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Mathematic
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002983	Clinical Competence	The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care.	Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D004364	Pharmaceutical Preparations	Drugs intended for human or veterinary use, presented in their finished dosage form. Included here are materials used in the preparation and/or formulation of the finished dosage form.	Drug,Drugs,Pharmaceutical,Pharmaceutical Preparation,Pharmaceutical Product,Pharmaceutic Preparations,Pharmaceutical Products,Pharmaceuticals,Preparations, Pharmaceutical,Preparation, Pharmaceutical,Preparations, Pharmaceutic,Product, Pharmaceutical,Products, Pharmaceutical
D004506	Education, Nursing	Use for general articles concerning nursing education.	Nursing Education,Educations, Nursing,Nursing Educations
D004521	Educational Measurement	The assessing of academic or educational achievement. It includes all aspects of testing and test construction.	Assessment, Educational,Graduate Records Examination,Educational Assessment,Examination, Graduate Records,Measurement, Educational,Assessments, Educational,Educational Assessments,Educational Measurements,Examinations, Graduate Records,Graduate Records Examinations,Measurements, Educational
D005387	Finland	A country in northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia. The capital is Helsinki.	Aland Islands,Åland Islands
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013338	Students, Nursing	Individuals enrolled in a school of nursing or a formal educational program leading to a degree in nursing.	Nurses, Pupil,Pupil Nurses,Nursing Student,Nursing Students,Student, Nursing,Nurse, Pupil,Pupil Nurse
D013663	Teaching	A formal and organized process of transmitting knowledge to a person or group.	Teaching Method,Training Activity,Training Technique,Academic Training,Educational Technics,Educational Techniques,Pedagogy,Teaching Methods,Technics, Educational,Techniques, Educational,Training Activities,Training Technics,Training Techniques,Activities, Training,Activity, Training,Educational Technic,Educational Technique,Method, Teaching,Methods, Teaching,Pedagogies,Technic, Educational,Technic, Training,Technics, Training,Technique, Educational,Technique, Training,Techniques, Training,Training Technic,Training, Academic