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You have decided to become a midwife BUT have to pass an exam in numeracy and are concerned about how you will manage…

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Build confidence with your numeracy/maths

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Real world explanations you’ll understand

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Learn how to solve the maths problems in the midwifery exam

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Available for immediate download in PDF format

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Fully accredited by Royal College of Midwives (RCM)

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Used by Manchester University

Eliminate the stress of your RCM numeracy exam module!

Buy now for immediate PDF download

My name is Christine and I am a scientist. I would like to help you cope with the numeracy requirements you are facing when becoming a midwife. I’ve helped dozens of midwives improve their numeracy to RCM exam standards. I would like to help you too.

Christine Butenuth (Dipl. Geol., PhD, BSc (Hons) Maths and Stats)

Author

Accreditation

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need numeracy skills to become a midwife?

You need to be able to administer correctly prescribed dosages to mother and child and hence the requirement.

Does this mean that I do not only have to work out the numbers but also be able to cope with different units and their conversions?

Yes, and that is why I am explaining not only the numeracy skills required but also the units and their conversions, and how numbers and units go together: that is a very important aspect of this work.

Here are two real questions from the National Helath Service of the sort you will have to be able to answer; as you can see they include numbers and units:

Penicillin has been prescribed to a patient. The amount he is to take by mouth (oral) is 375mg. But the package from which this amount is to be dispensed has only tablets of 125mg in it. How many of these tablets is the patient to be given?
If the same patient has been prescribed 500mg but this time the penicillin is to be dispensed in a liquid form where 125mg of penicillin are to be found in 5ml of fluid how many milli-litres (ml) does the patient need to receive?

You are saying THAT will help me with my numeracy problems in a medical context?

Yes it will, because real medical problems use the same logic of these everyday examples; I will show you how to use exactly those skills you have learnt from experience.

Thinking?! You mean this does not just give me the “magic formula” I want?

No. It does not just give you a “magic formula” because that is highly dangerous. This book shows you how to think about the problem you are trying to solve and the calculations that go with that. These are illustrated with three examples. that cover commonly encountered situations, and are based on NHS tests.

“Numeracy for midwives” is written in a way that gives you confidence in your ability to use numbers.

I still do not understand what have dosages to do with numeracy?

For many reasons: here is just one. Medicines are packaged in different ways, for example in liquid and solid form. So if something was prescribed in a certain dosage e.g. 1mg/day but was available in bottles marked 5g/cc you would have to be able to work out the correct dosage and administer it.

But how will I cope with all this? I have never had to deal with this before! Unit conversions and all that really scare me especially the responsibility of not making an error…

Don’t worry. You will find that ordinary life has made you very familiar with the examples I use to teach you the numeracy that is appropriate; how to divide a cake, how to dilute a drink and how to handle money.

But how will I know if I am right?

By checking your answer! I will show you how to check your results and the thinking behind them.

Has the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) seen this?

Yes. The RCM has not only seen it but has accredited it.

Eliminate the stress of your RCM numeracy exam module!

Buy now for immediate PDF download