Drug calculation ability
International studies have shown that nursing students
struggle with performing drug calculations. For example,
Blais and Bath (1992) in their US study with 66 first year
nursing students showed that 89% failed a 20-item drug
calculation test at a 90% pass level. These results were
confirmed in a more recent UK study by Jukes and Gilchrist
(2006) with 37 second year nursing students. They found
that on a 10-item drug calculation test none of the students
gained full marks, 91% were unable to meet the 90% pass
mark and 64% achieved less than 70%. However, a problem
with this study was its small sample size.
Not only nursing students find performing drug calculations
difficult, but so do Registered Nurses. Schulmeister
(1999) found that administration of the incorrect calculated