Dosage Calculation for Nursing Students: 15 Resources to Help You Practice

Are you intimidated by making dosage calculations? These are critical to a patient’s health and recovery. Calculating dosages is likely one of the most important skills you’ll gain as a nursing student and is necessary to ensure medications are administered correctly.

Nursing students need education and practice to learn how to calculate intravenous (IV) drip rates (when the IV pump is broken) and draw up the correct amount of fluid in a syringe. Explore the importance of calculating the right dosage and 15 easily accessible resources that will help you become an expert at this crucial skill.

Medication dosages are calculated on many factors, including the weight of the patient, diagnosis, age, comorbidities, and risk factors. Manufacturers cannot package drugs for every possible combination. The goal is for the patient to receive the correct medication dosage. Nurses may need to calculate the amount based on the concentration of the medication and the patient’s weight.

Incorrect dosing can lead to adverse events, toxicity, and ineffective treatment. While technology and medication administration software can help, nurses must have a strong understanding and ability to ensure the technology is used correctly.

Calculating the correct dosage takes practice. Finding the right resources for dosage calculations for nursing students can be challenging. You want a tool that explains the reasoning behind the calculations, so you understand and learn the technique. You also want a tool that gives you feedback on the answers.

We scoured the available resources to compile a list that works with various learning styles. Some people like reading books and using worksheets; others may prefer online tools or watching video lectures.

Whatever your preferred learning style, there’s a dosage calculation resource on this list for you.