Basic arithmetic is a sequentially dependent process. A student, who cannot do long division for example, will have difficulty with division of decimals, fractions, percentages, and ratio formulas. Therefore, the NET carefully evaluates basic operations in mathematics that are essential for success in health professional programs.
Nurses must perform dosage calculations when administering medications and intravenous fluids. Pharmacology math requires the nurse to know systems of measurement (metric, household, apothecary, and avoirdupois) and how to convert within those systems of measurement. Other system of measurements include units (common for insulin and heparin), milliequivalents (mEq) (common for some drugs such as potassium chloride), and international units (IU) (common for vitamins). Since nurses need to accurately calculate medication dosages, it is essential to understand drug weights and measures.
Math computation skills (addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions, etc) are necessary to calculate medication dosages. To interpret physician's orders, the nurse must also understand abbreviations used to describe those units of measurement and frequency of administration. Other instances in which the nurse may use math (pharmacology) includes calculating safe dosages of medications. Nurses may use basic math to determine intake and output.
The mathematical content that is tested in the Nursing Entrance Test consists of solving the following; addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of mixed and improper fractions, manipulation of exponents, decimals and percentages, word problems, algebra problems including factoring, use of quadratic equation, slope of line, reading point coordinates from a graph, solving for variables in the first power and square roots. This may seem like a lot to someone who is hoping to go into the nursing field. However, this mathematical knowledge should be part of the repertoire for the student planning to take the Nursing Entrance Test.
A comprehensive Mathematics Review covering:
* The Easiest Math Review You'll Ever Read * Solving for Variables * How to Read Word Problems * Keeping Probability Simple * Using the Right Formulas * Graphing for Success * Breezing Through Ratios * Understanding Line Plotting * The Logical Approach to the Solving Difficult Problems
For many preparing to take this test, trying to learn this from scratch may seem like a daunting task. Indeed, for those with minimal to no knowledge math this becomes a daunting challenge. Some students elect to take refresher math courses. These math courses are misnamed, in the fact that they are not so much a refresher course but a course that only covers certain aspects of the math that is tested on the Nursing Entrance Test. Depending on the teacher and the learning curve of the rest of the class, this may not help the student sufficiently. Many teachers adjust the content of the class based upon the percent of the class that has a difficult time comprehending the material. What this means is that if there is a majority of the class that is having a hard time with basic principals, then the teacher will not completely cover all that is required. This is unfortunate, because those who are picking up the material quickly are placed at an educational disadvantage and are not getting their moneys worth of education.
Time and time again, students have sought out new materials on the market to better prepare them for the Nursing Entrance Test, only to be given bits and pieces of information that is insufficient to pass with an acceptable score. Math is the enemy to many that wish to be nurses and is a source of dread when it comes to test performance. Much of this anxiety is due to insufficient preparation at the college and high school level. The population of new nursing students encompasses a wide age and educational disparity.
The typical nursing student is no longer the fresh high school graduate, or the young mother returning to school after her children reach preschool age. Now, nursing students come from many diverse backgrounds, such as engineers, teachers, computer technologist and people with masters and doctorates. Naturally, with so many degreed people entering the nursing field, the bar has been raised for the score needed to pass the Nursing Entrance Test at many nursing schools. This puts the typical nursing student at a disadvantage.
So, the question can be asked, what is the person to do about obtaining the skills necessary to pass the math on the Nursing Entrance Test? There is no simple answer. However the best answer is to study. Having the right tools is also necessary and you can find many through the Internet.
Anyone who takes the Nursing Entrance Test must take the psychological profile assessment upon completion of the math and reading comprehension sections. This assessment includes questions that may seem too personal for some people to comfortably divulge on topics that ask about details of their personalities, finances and emotions. Many of us are not predisposed to giving out details of our lives and about who we really are.
Increasingly, health care professionals are realizing the utility of identifying psychological factors that may influence a patient's response to treatment. Because nurses may spend more "face time" with patients than do other members of the care team, they are often the first to sense the presence of a psychological issue through that age-old tool, "gut feeling." Based on their front-line experiences with patients, some nurses also recognize the fallibility of such gut feelings and advocate for the use of objective psychological assessments to validate subjective impressions.
The first thing that the student is told when taking this assessment is that there are no points added or deducted for answers. Basically, the assessment section, as personal as it may seem, is actually used for statistical analysis. In other words, a study is done by compiling all of the information from everyone who has taken the Nursing Entrance Test and a profile of the typical nursing student emerges. This data is also stored for a period of time to be able to track those behaviors and personalities that are the most successful in the nursing program.
You and I may never be privy to this information or know what characteristics a typical nursing student embodies, except the company that is hired to do the analysis and the nursing schools. Therefore the best advice that can be given to someone who is about to take the Nursing Entrance Test is to be calm and answer the questions as honestly as you feel comfortable. You don't want to spend too much time on answering the questions. Your time should be used judiciously. The subjects that are graded, such as the math and reading comprehension, is where you should devote the most of your time.
The positive aspect in answering psychological questions about yourself is that when you are done you come away from the test knowing a little more about you. Life is a constant teacher. Especially in the nursing field, one learns to understand themselves. It is in this ability to understand ourselves that we can better understand another person. You may not have ever asked yourself the question, "How do I like to study? Do I like to study alone, in a group, with the television or radio blaring, or maybe not at all?" The point being is, what makes you the person you are?
For instance, it may be that the typical nursing student who does well in the program doesn't have to work a forty or more hour work week, but instead only works five to eight hours per week. It is in this context that the person or people who crunch the data from these tests determine the characteristics of the typical nursing student. Whatever the type of nursing student may be, one thing is definite, only you can determine what type of student you are. A good example of the type of assessment that is given on the Nursing Entrance Test are the standardized personality test that the government workers must take, like the civil service tests. So, don't be nervous when you are answering the questions. Nothing is going to be done with your information other than entering it into a very impersonal data base. There are many free personality test sites available on the internet that give the student a good idea of what types of questions will be asked on the Nursing Entrance Test.
Another suggestion is to find out ahead of time what kind of learner you are. The internet offers many free learning style tests. It is actually quite fun. You may be surprised to find out just what type of learner you actually are. Most of us are a combination of audio and visual learners. When we find out how we learn best, it is then possible to adjust our studying methods to maximize our learning potential.
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