Numeracy needs ofthe beginning Registered Nurse

Numeracy skills required by beginning registered nurses are identified to facilitate development of numeracy skills by nursing students and a number of recommendations are presented.

Abstract

The literature indicates: Nursing students demonstrate serious numeracy skills deficits. Consensus that such skills are necessary, particularly for medication administration. Diagnostic testing and remediation are desirable, or basic mathematics is pre-requisite for entry into nursing courses. Calculation skills mastered at one point in time diminish if ongoing practise is not maintained. The frequency with which nurses perform drug calculation in the clinical setting is decreasing. This study aimed to identify and analyze numeracy skills required by beginning registered nurses to facilitate development of numeracy skills by nursing students. A convenience sample of metropolitan and rural health care facilities in New South Wales (NSW) was selected. Within each facility an area where nursing graduates customarily work was selected. Numeracy input required to complete patients' charts was identified. Additional counting, measuring or computation the nurses performed was also identified. Except for paediatric areas, the frequency with which a nurse has to perform other than a simple calculation in order to administer a medication, or calculate a per minute drip rate is low. However, the necessity to calculate drug doses does exist. Creative ideas are needed to enable nurses to do this accurately. Three general approaches are suggested. A number of recommendations are presented.