Why do people still mess up math on basic bac water math

Posted by stacknerd75 in Dosing and Protocols

I am losing my mind trying to browse through the logs lately because basic math seems optional around here. Every single day I see someone posting about completely botched calculations for their research subjects and asking why the vial is empty way too fast or why their subject is getting a tiny fraction of the intended amount. It literally takes a minute to use a standard calculator and check the numbers before drawing anything into the syringe. Like how hard is it to understand milligrams versus micrograms when looking at a standard U100 insulin syringe. My current research partner keeps guessing the volumes instead of writing it down and I am at my wit's end double checking every single thing. We are dealing with precise lab chemicals here not baking cookies in the kitchen. Please people slow down and measure twice.

7 Comments

amberfiles

Back when I first started my subject trials I messed up a reconstitution and ended up with way too concentrated of a solution. Had to throw the whole vial out and start fresh.

graydev25

Honestly the syringe markings confuse a lot of beginners because they see all those tiny lines and panic.

compoundhands26

Math literacy is at an all time low everywhere you look. I always tell newbies to print out a cheat sheet and tape it to the wall.

stacknerd75

Thank you. It is driving me insane. Like do people not keep a notepad next to the workspace for these exact calculations.

benchroom

For real man I feel your pain so much. I had a guy in my lab group who literally could not convert milliliters to international units to save his life.

benchroom

Yeah true the visual aspect trips them up even if they know the formula on paper.

clinical21

At least you caught it before administration. Some folks just guess and inject blindly which is terrifying.