tydek07
Forum Captain
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To do drug calcs you just have to know how to use simple math skills. Not very hard. Some people need to practice more then others at it, but that goes for pretty much everything.
Math for ALS
- Thread starter Gents82
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Wonderwoman
Forum Ride Along
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If I have had Pharmacy calculations when I was studying to be a Pharmacy technician will that be helpful or hurtful?
Ridryder911
EMS Guru
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Math for pharmacology is the same.. math is math.
R/r 911
R/r 911
wow rid just gave me a paramedic school flashback. yuck.
I don't think I would waste time or money on a math class, unless you find it hard to figure out the 15% tip on your quesadillas.
The best advice is, do it how they tell you in class, and don't listen to the 1,400 paramedics who will try to tell you they 'have a better way of doing drug calcs'. And trust me, they will.
I don't think I would waste time or money on a math class, unless you find it hard to figure out the 15% tip on your quesadillas.
The best advice is, do it how they tell you in class, and don't listen to the 1,400 paramedics who will try to tell you they 'have a better way of doing drug calcs'. And trust me, they will.
We just went through drug math about a month ago in school but I wrote it out for every problem in school and still scratch it down in the field. I can do it on paper in about the same time it takes my partner to find their calculator. When you write it out and then as long as all of your units cancel and you did your math right the answer will be correct.
That palm pilot software sounds nice but personally I'm not ready to throw my career on the line for a piece of technology just yet.
That palm pilot software sounds nice but personally I'm not ready to throw my career on the line for a piece of technology just yet.
Math is not only for pharmacology.
I know understanding mechanism of injury, torque and force of impact are not being emphasized much in EMT or Paramedic school but it can help with your scene and patient assessment. Unfortunately, for some, it may involve a little math.
Some get a little lost when different variables such as MAP for both BP and airway are discussed. Much of the confusion is not understanding how these variables are derived.
It is also embarrassing to see someone struggling with a basic O2 cylinder calculation for duration of the tank at x liters.
Even the theory and basic principles behind CPAP and all the other O2 devices work off of mathmatical equations. That is why 2 L NC may not give the same O2 percentage on different people. This is what the "recipes" fail to explain and instructors forget to teach as they are busy giving you info to MEMORIZE and not always to understand.
Then, you get people that want to do CCT or Flight. They think all you need to do is ride on an ALS truck for a couple of years without much other prep. The many calculations that go into Critical Care Medicine is pretty astounding. Sure there are calculators but one should have a working knowledge of the formula for the understanding of how it is derived.
On another forum for flight professionals, I get questions and requests from people who just want the recipe and not much more for various ventilator applications. Once formulas are introduced to accompany the various protocols and the factors that influence which mode is used, some still want just a "cheat sheet" to avoid all that "extra stuff". Again, I will use the word knobologist for those that don't have enough math background to get the basic concepts but still want to say "they can set up a ventilator".
Math is also an asset when it comes to reading medical journals (not JEMS). Too many are intimidated by the statistics, numbers and formulas and avoid the chance to read the wheres, whys and hows some of our data is derived.
I know understanding mechanism of injury, torque and force of impact are not being emphasized much in EMT or Paramedic school but it can help with your scene and patient assessment. Unfortunately, for some, it may involve a little math.
Some get a little lost when different variables such as MAP for both BP and airway are discussed. Much of the confusion is not understanding how these variables are derived.
It is also embarrassing to see someone struggling with a basic O2 cylinder calculation for duration of the tank at x liters.
Even the theory and basic principles behind CPAP and all the other O2 devices work off of mathmatical equations. That is why 2 L NC may not give the same O2 percentage on different people. This is what the "recipes" fail to explain and instructors forget to teach as they are busy giving you info to MEMORIZE and not always to understand.
Then, you get people that want to do CCT or Flight. They think all you need to do is ride on an ALS truck for a couple of years without much other prep. The many calculations that go into Critical Care Medicine is pretty astounding. Sure there are calculators but one should have a working knowledge of the formula for the understanding of how it is derived.
On another forum for flight professionals, I get questions and requests from people who just want the recipe and not much more for various ventilator applications. Once formulas are introduced to accompany the various protocols and the factors that influence which mode is used, some still want just a "cheat sheet" to avoid all that "extra stuff". Again, I will use the word knobologist for those that don't have enough math background to get the basic concepts but still want to say "they can set up a ventilator".
Math is also an asset when it comes to reading medical journals (not JEMS). Too many are intimidated by the statistics, numbers and formulas and avoid the chance to read the wheres, whys and hows some of our data is derived.