Numeracy Teaching for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background:

Education providers teach numeracy to undergraduate nursing students using a diverse range of approaches. Proficiency in numeracy skills is critical for patient safety; however, alarmingly, the accuracy rate of calculations by both undergraduate nurses and RNs is reported to be low.

Method:

The literature search yielded 1,180 articles published between 1994 and 2022. The assessment of the studies was reported using the PRIMSA extension for Scoping Reviews.

Results:

Thirty-nine articles were included in the review. A diverse range of approaches were used to teach numeracy including learning theory, methods of calculation, learning environment, and examination aids.

Conclusion:

This review highlights the plethora of approaches for teaching numeracy within undergraduate nursing education. Internationally, there were limited studies on the most effective teaching approaches; therefore, developing a robust evidence-based numeracy framework would be beneficial to guide non-nursing instructors in teaching undergraduate nurses. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(4):218–227.]