Calculation skills
. Learn reliable methods for calculating common dosages or administration rates.
. Learn to record this information correctly.
. Learn how to avoid the common traps in the PSA and clinical practice.
Structure of this Section within the PSA
The ‘Calculation skills’ section will have 8 questions with 2 marks available per question, so a possible total of 16 marks. You will be asked to calculate a dose or rate of administration of a medicine.
Introduction
While working through these examples, try to keep in mind the following questions:
1. Which pieces of information are relevant? Some questions might include ‘distractors’, i.e. pieces of information, which might be relevant to the clinical case, but not to your calculation.
2. How can I simplify the information? A handy tip is to pick out and write down the information you select to be relevant in a way that makes it easier for you to manipulate, i.e. accurately completing a calculation question often requires a pencil and a piece of scrap paper!
3. Does my answer look reasonable? When you arrive at your answer, do not just write it down and move on. Compare it with what you already know about drugs and doses and decide if it looks reasonable. This seems an obvious step, but is often missed out.
