Making the Move from "Med Math" to Medication Administration and Safety

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized medication errors as a global health problem in 2017 highlighting them as a top patient safety challenge (World Health Organization, 2023). The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) highlights quality and safety one of the essentials of nursing (2021). In response to declining medication math scores and the emphasis on patient safety, one Midwest United States nursing program updated their curriculum to address medication administration and safety on exams instead of just “med math” as dosage calculation. Addressing the varying skills and knowledge of foundational mathematical concepts for nursing students entering and progressing throughout the program remains an area of further study.