Module 2 – Units of Measurement & Conversions

Overview

Accurate unit conversion is one of the most critical skills in nursing practice. Medication orders, lab values, and IV solutions all use specific units of measurement. A conversion error can result in a serious medication error.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module you should be able to:

• Identify and use units of the metric system
• Identify common household measurements
• Convert between units within the metric system
• Convert between metric and household measurements
• Apply dimensional analysis to solve conversion problems

Topics

• The Metric System
• Household Measurements
• Converting Between Units
• Dimensional Analysis

Estimated Time

Approximately 1.5–2 hours including practice problems.

Before You Begin

Memorizing a few key conversions will make the rest of this module much easier. The most important ones in nursing are:

• 1 kg = 2.2 lb
• 1 g = 1000 mg
• 1 mg = 1000 mcg
• 1 L = 1000 mL
• 1 tsp = 5 mL
• 1 tbsp = 15 mL

Why This Matters

Medication orders may be written in one unit while stock is labeled in another. For example, an order for 0.5 g when tablets are labeled in mg. You must convert confidently before calculating any dose.