An evaluation of Swedish nurse students' calculating ability in relation to their earlier educational background.

There are no formal demands of mathematical skills and knowledge for students in Sweden who are admitted to schools of nursing. In order to investigate these abilities in beginner nurse students a mathematics test was given. Average test scores are presented in relation to the students' educational background before they enter the nursing programme. Students coming from the two-year integrated nurse education at upper secondary school and students admitted on basis of age and work experience, had significantly lower scores in comparison to students from the regular two- or three-year upper secondary education. Differences with respect to background were also found concerning the type of items solved. The results are discussed in relation to patient safety and the scheduled time for training drug dosage calculation in schools of nursing. On average, the students had been offered 12 hours of scheduled time during the two-year nurse education. The consequence of this investigation would be to improve the Swedish nurse education programme in such a way that mathematical knowledge and skills from the upper secondary school will be a requirement for admission.