Prepare for Your Nursing Numeracy Test

In order to get on to a nursing course in university, many institutions require applicants to sit a numeracy and literacy test as part of their application.

Check out our page on the literacy test for more info. While the nursing maths test may not be so challenging, revision is more than necessary to ensure a good performance.

Many of these tests do not allow calculators during the maths test, so polishing up your mental maths skills is a must. The following page is a guide to the test and how to prepare.

As a nurse, you will encounter maths on a day to day basis, either when calculating drugs to administer, scheduling tests and when to give a patient medication, or converting weights and measurements.

Having a good grasp on both simple and more advanced numeracy skills is vital for being a nurse.

Nursing numeracy or maths tests are used to determine your level of numerical ability to help the admissions team decide if you have what it takes to make it through the course and into the real world of nursing.

While there will be further numeracy assessments in your nursing career, this is the one which determines whether you’re in or out from the starting point.

While each university writes their own test, most maths tests for nursing follow the same format of a pen and paper test where you either need to work out the problem there on the test or choose a multiple choice answer.

The tests are often timed, to increase the pressure and to see how well you work under a time constraint. While some of the questions are simple calculations, others are word problems, requiring a bit more effort in understanding.

The maths involved in the nursing numeracy test may be based on nursing scenarios, but does not require any prior knowledge of the profession.

All the maths is GCSE level so it is nothing you haven’t seen before. The questions include calculating and converting fractions and decimals, working with percentages and ratios, as well as using formulas. You may also be asked to convert different measurements, such as kilometers to meters.

A revision of basic maths functions can help refresh your memory and give you a boost when preparing.

Each course decides whether or not to allow applicants to use a calculator on the nursing numeracy test. You will be informed beforehand what the policy of your chosen course is.

If you are allowed to use a calculator, the proctors at the test will provide. For tips on how to work through the test without a calculator, check out our non-calculator page.

Check out the nursing numeracy test sample questions below for examples of the types of question you can expect in the test.

The nursing numeracy test presents two challenges- using unused, unpolished skills and not having the crutch of a calculator in the test (depending on where you apply). At JobTestPrep, we want you to be able to go into the nursing maths test confident in your skills and ready to succeed. Our nursing numeracy and literacy practice pack can do just that! With full length tests and study guides, you have everything you need to prepare.