Drug dose calculations

J

Joshua Henson

Forum Ride Along
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I was wondering does anyone use a app for quick drug dose calculations?

I found one that is really nice wondering if anyone has another.

Quick dose
 
I have most adult doses either memorized or carry a reference sheet for drips.

For Peds, my employer pays for access to the handtevy mobile app.
 
Common adult meds I have just memorized. Anything drip goes into a pump and does the calculation which I just verify. Peds I just do the math on a calculator/braslow tape.
 
StCEMT said:
Common adult meds I have just memorized. Anything drip goes into a pump and does the calculation which I just verify. Peds I just do the math on a calculator/braslow tape.
Click to expand...

I remember all single dose calculations, but the mg/kg I use that quick dose app. It’s proved super helpful to me.
 
It's all pretty basic math. I'm not one of those folks nowadays who cannot function unless a phone is glued to my hand 24/7, plus our agency pretty much has a no phones out during patient contact policy. Learn the math, it's not hard.
What is the next generation going to do?? The ones brought up on common core?? It's gonna take 2 sheets of paper and 10 minutes to figure out a simple drug dose.
 
phideux said:
It's all pretty basic math. I'm not one of those folks nowadays who cannot function unless a phone is glued to my hand 24/7, plus our agency pretty much has a no phones out during patient contact policy. Learn the math, it's not hard.
What is the next generation going to do?? The ones brought up on common core?? It's gonna take 2 sheets of paper and 10 minutes to figure out a simple drug dose.
Click to expand...

Why would your department not allow you to use resources to prevent medication errors? This is what the handtevy system is built on.
 
What ever happened to using dimensional analysis? What do you do when there are drug shortages and you only have so many options, and the concentration is different than what was taught for hadtevy, is on the braslow tape, or is preprogrammed into your phone?

I have quit a few apps from UpToDate to the ERG, but basic math I still do on my own.
 
Peak said:
What ever happened to using dimensional analysis?
Click to expand...

2d792255b3adc00e319cceab16dd24dd.gif
 
Remi said:
Yeah, that's a bad policy. We should actually be using technology as much as possible for this.
Click to expand...
We do use technology all the time, but the time to have a phone glued to your hand is not when you are providing patient care. Paramedic math is pretty simple, we don't use that many drugs, most of what we do use is in single dose vials, and we have a cheat sheet taped to the wall of the ambulance. Any decent Medic should know how and how much when it comes to the drugs on the ambulance, the only exception is for Peds and we have a Broslow tape for that.
 
phideux said:
We do use technology all the time, but the time to have a phone glued to your hand is not when you are providing patient care. Paramedic math is pretty simple, we don't use that many drugs, most of what we do use is in single dose vials, and we have a cheat sheet taped to the wall of the ambulance. Any decent Medic should know how and how much when it comes to the drugs on the ambulance, the only exception is for Peds and we have a Broslow tape for that.
Click to expand...
Who said anything about having a phone "glued to your hand"? I'm talking about using an app to calculate doses and volumes to give for medications that aren't used frequently. People say med math is easy, yet errors are very common. No one should be doing anything but the absolute simplest math in their head (0.5 mcg/kg of fentanyl for a 100kg patient = 50 mcgs) or on paper.

If pharmacists use computers for calculations, then we certainly shouldn't think we are above it.
 
Spare me the next generation, we've always done it this way bs speech. I can do the math. Most of the time I don't need resources because adults get 4mg of Zofran, 50 Benadryl, etc. and I don't often have to go outside of the common meds. Even my two most common drips don't require much thought (mag/amio).

But when I am going to hang pressors, open a narc box for a kid, do a vent transfer, etc. then yes, I will use my phone. Using a calculator isn't a weakness or not knowing how to do the math. If I didn't know the formulas, I wouldnt know what to type in to begin with. Just because I use a different method, doesn't mean I have to understand the concepts any less than you. I still have to be just as proficient, I just use my resources that are available to me.
 
phideux said:
...and we have a cheat sheet taped to the wall of the ambulance.
Click to expand...

I’d like to see a cheat-sheet handle gtt/s using a 20gtt/set when your Alaris Medsystem III pump ****s the bed mid-flight.

*not trying to be antagonistic, just pointing out the value of a phone/calculator/whatever
 
I've got a couple different apps that I'll use for drug calcs. Before I trust the app, I verify that the results are accurate. One app that I use has a small error that I caught this way. The error is small and I found how to make this app produce correct results. In short, it wants inputs in "hours" instead of minutes. Your 90 minute infusion rate will be a little bit off if you input 90 minutes instead of 1.5 hours. Input it as 1.5 hours and it's exactly correct.

As to doing drug calcs, while I can do it by using dimensional analysis, I'm not as fond of using that method. Regardless of how you do the calcs, you absolutely must be familiar with the method/formula you use, how to set it up correctly, and solve problems using that method. One of the ways that I ensure that the calculations are correct is that I write it all out, manipulate the equation until I'm at a point where all I need is to plug the numbers into any simple calculator (or do it manually if I must) and then I'm done.

Where I work, most of the time the MAR does this work for you. You just look at the "details" of the order and it'll tell you exactly the dose needed, whether it's number of tabs/capsules/pills or milliliters, or whatever. Most of the time... Meds that have to be reconstituted using a separate vial may not calculate out correctly. Fortunately we only have a couple of those. While I know those doses once reconstituted, I still double-check those to ensure I'm doing it right.

So... yeah, know the formulas, know your drugs, and all that stuff. If you need a cheat sheet, it's not too difficult to create a spreadsheet using Excel (or any other spreadsheet program) and print that out. Now if only I could figure out how to get my EHR to do that... Just in case you were wondering, I'm not saying that I like/love/hate/despise the manual methods or the computerized methods... I just like keeping things simple and easy to work with so I can get on with my tasks in as efficient manner as I can. I've got more stuff to do... always more stuff to do...
 
I actually made a dynamic “live” Excel spreadsheet that lives on my phone and calculates weight-based dosage and volume. Anyone know how to make an app?
 
RocketMedic said:
I actually made a dynamic “live” Excel spreadsheet that lives on my phone and calculates weight-based dosage and volume. Anyone know how to make an app?
Click to expand...

Have you looked at any of the apps already out there?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top