gcse maths

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Any one got any advice. Daughter wishes to go to uni to study nursing. She is doing well in her A levels so far but she has not yet acheived her math gsce. Most universities if not al require you to have maths gcse dont they? Or is there another course she could sit that would at as an equivalent??

Ex-pharmacy lecturer, not nursing. However, at interview, one of the first thing I tested was their maths skills. As pharmacists, their answers being an order of magnitude out, could mean a dead patient. Maths is incredibly important to these professions.

That said, have you looked at courses offering a foundation year? DP teaches maths to future HCPs in their foundation year and first year. Most universities offer that students who complete a foundation year will automatically be offered a place on the degree.

She could try an adult literacy level 2, it's more arithmetic than maths (real life situations not equations and vectors). Most FE colleges do this and you can take it without the classes. Do check that her chosen uni will accept it as equivalent though, some will, some won't.

It's not as bad a thing as you might imagine not having GCSE atm, I had to do level 2 literacy and numeracy with my teacher training so that I could prove I was still able to work at that level. Your dd will be able to go into an interview and say that not only has she the qualification but she can prove she is still at that level.

I'll second MagratGarlik in that she needs mathematical skills, but I'd add that it is more arithmetic e.g. if a drug is 2ml per Kg of patient and the patient weighs 52.5 kg how much of the drug do you need?

That is the kind of thing she will need on a ward. There may be access to a calculator but she will need to know if the calculator answer is within what she is expecting.

I'll also second her in looking at a foundation year, Aston does one for HCP who have not got the A Levels required to go straight onto the course.

There are some alternative Level 2 Maths qualifications, but not all of them are accepted by all unis.

You would need to check with the admissions tutor of where she wants to go before taking an alternative.

If she can, GCSE Maths would be better.

lots of students at my FE college take functional skills maths Level 2. Some universities accept it some don't. Do as creamteas suggests and check with the university she wants to attend

It's not just basic arithmetic. Pharmacokinetics for example involves some relatively complex maths (incl. logarithms, required to calculate plasma half lives of drugs), enzyme kinetics is also very mathematical.

DD3 did essential skills level 2 Maths at college along sideher BTECH course, She researched umiversities and found that some unis did except this and some wanted leve 3 she also did an English equivalent but she did level 2 and 3. She is now off to Bolton university to do a computer degree. l