Pharmacy Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians: Master Calculations The Safe & Easy Way Without Formulas

Book Preface

Imagine that you just moved to a new city and needed to know how to get around. Would you rather be handed a long list of detailed instructions on how to drive between all the different points in the city, or be handed a map?This book takes the approach that it is easier to learn to read a map once than to memorize a myriad of different instructions. After learning a few simple concepts, you will be able to quickly set up and solve pharmacy calculation problems without resorting to notes or formulas, other than a couple you will need for specialty calculations. The book is divided into eight units.
Unit 1: Essential Skills: Before you can start preforming calculations you must learn these subjects.

The Metric System
Apothecary/Avoirdupois/Household System Ratios
Dimensional Analysis and Ratio Proportion Rounding Numbers

Unit 2: Auxiliary Subjects: While these subjects didn’t make it into the essential skills unit, they may be needed in your curriculum, or later in your career.

Scientific Notation Significant Figures Roman Numerals

Unit 3: Unit Conversions: Units are the units of measurement used in pharmacy calculations and include grams, milligrams, liters, milliliters, ounces, along with many others. This unit covers conversions within and between the various systems of measurement used in pharmacy.
Unit 4: Dosage Calculations: This is where you put your knowledge of units, unit conversions, dimensional analysis, and ratio proportion together to solve dosage calculations, starting with simple calculations then moving on to more complex calculations.
Unit 5: IV Flow Rate Calculations: While IV flow rate calculations are a step up from dosage calculations, they are set up the same general way. You will first learn the basics in Chapter 14, then move on to calculations starting with simple, one step problems, and progressing to more complex problems.
Unit 6: Percent and Ratio Strength Calculations: Many pharmacy calculations involve percent and percent strength. It is important that this material is understood before moving on to Unit 7.
Unit 7: Concentrations/Dilutions/Reconstitution Calculations: These calculations are a little different from previous calculations in that they involve mixing and dilutions. Fortunately, the calculations are not too difficult.
Unit 8: Miscellaneous Subjects: This unit wraps things up with a couple of subjects which you may or may not find useful (milliequivalent and temperature conversion calculations), a couple of fun pharmacy calculations puzzles, and finally a self-assessment exam.