Undergraduate nursing curricula : numeracy and accreditation

Background: Numeracy skills are essential for patient safety; therefore, it is vital that registered nurses are proficient in performing calculations, notably medication calculations. However, the literature indicates that a large proportion of undergraduate nursing students and registered nurses are not competent in numeracy. The manifestation of numerical and calculation errors is thought to stem from failing to comprehend key mathematical principles from primary or secondary school, as well as the minimal admission requirements to enter nursing programs. Tertiary education providers teach and assess numeracy within nursing programs using a diverse range of pedagogical and instructional approaches. These programs of nursing study are underpinned by the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council standards, and lead to nursing registration in Australia. These accreditation standards do not incorporate numeracy, placing the onus on the tertiary education providers to design content and assessment types, as well as establish a benchmark to gauge the competence of the student prior to graduating. Question: Why the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council does not require graduates to demonstrate numeracy proficiency, and why there are no recommendations for undergraduate numeracy content and assessment in Australia. Method: An exploratory sequential mixed methods design across 5 stages will be used. Findings: No data has been collected to date. Discussion: No discussion has been written to date. Conclusion: To contribute knowledge to improve the competence of undergraduate nursing students in relation to numeracy education, and ultimately the safety of Registered Nurses when calculating medications in practice.