assessment-led (McMullan et al. 2003), to strengthen this
skill through summative assessment before the students leave
for their clinical placements. Subsequently, during clinical
placements, we recommend that this learning should be
reinforced through regular practice and by further formative
or summative assessment.
Our results showed the Registered Nurses to be statistically
significantly better at performing basic numerical calculations
than the nursing students. Again we can only speculate about
why this might be the case, but a clue could be their age. The
Registered Nurses were found to be statistically significantly
older than the nursing students and, in this study, older
participants (‡35 years) were statistically significantly more
competent at performing basic numerical calculations than
younger ones. In addition, multiple regression analysis
indicated that age, independent of status or experience, was
a statistically significant predictor.
A possible reason why the older participants were more
numerically competent could be the type of mathematical
education they received during their formative school years
and, in particular, the absence of calculators during this
period. Although calculators were invented by Texas instruments
in 1972, they only became affordable and small
enough for personal use in the last 20–25 years (Wall Street
Journal 2006). Before the introduction of calculators into
schools, students (our older participants) totally relied on,
and obtained a great deal of practice in, mental arithmetic not
only in primary school but also in secondary school. For our
younger participants (20–34 years), however, although basic
arithmetical skills had been taught in primary school,
possibly without the aid of calculators, this type of mental
arithmetic was not given high priority in secondary school
and students began to rely increasingly on calculators for
simple computations. As a result, due to lack of practice,
those students (our younger participants) lost proficiency in
these basic mental arithmetical skills. This deficit in basic
numerical dexterity has not only been found to be a problem
with nursing students, but has also been reported for
bioscience undergraduates (Tariq 2004), engineering students
(Hawkes & Savage 2000), psychology students (Mulhern &
Wylie 2004), pharmacy students (Ward et al. 2000) and
medical students (Sheridan & Pignone 2002).
assessment-led (McMullan et al. 2003), to strengthen this
skill through summative assessment before the students leave
for their clinical placements. Subsequently, during clinical
placements, we recommend that this learning should be
reinforced through regular practice and by further formative
or summative assessment.
Our results showed the Registered Nurses to be statistically
significantly better at performing basic numerical calculations
than the nursing students. Again we can only speculate about
why this might be the case, but a clue could be their age. The
Registered Nurses were found to be statistically significantly
older than the nursing students and, in this study, older
participants (‡35 years) were statistically significantly more
competent at performing basic numerical calculations than
younger ones. In addition, multiple regression analysis
indicated that age, independent of status or experience, was
a statistically significant predictor.
A possible reason why the older participants were more
numerically competent could be the type of mathematical
education they received during their formative school years
and, in particular, the absence of calculators during this
period. Although calculators were invented by Texas instruments
in 1972, they only became affordable and small
enough for personal use in the last 20–25 years (Wall Street
Journal 2006). Before the introduction of calculators into
schools, students (our older participants) totally relied on,
and obtained a great deal of practice in, mental arithmetic not
only in primary school but also in secondary school. For our
younger participants (20–34 years), however, although basic
arithmetical skills had been taught in primary school,
possibly without the aid of calculators, this type of mental
arithmetic was not given high priority in secondary school
and students began to rely increasingly on calculators for
simple computations. As a result, due to lack of practice,
those students (our younger participants) lost proficiency in
these basic mental arithmetical skills. This deficit in basic
numerical dexterity has not only been found to be a problem
with nursing students, but has also been reported for
bioscience undergraduates (Tariq 2004), engineering students
(Hawkes & Savage 2000), psychology students (Mulhern &
Wylie 2004), pharmacy students (Ward et al. 2000) and
medical students (Sheridan & Pignone 2002).
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