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

Make and use flashcards or write the conversions down from memory to reinforce them.

Why This Matters

Medication orders may be written in one unit while stock is labeled in another. For example, an order may call for 0.5 g whereas the tablets are labeled in mg.