Start with this short video, then scroll down for the full guide.
Why This Matters for Nursing: Healthcare uses the metric system exclusively. Medications are in milligrams (mg), IV fluids in milliliters (mL), and patient weights in kilograms (kg). Knowing metric prefixes lets you convert instantly.
The metric system is based on powers of 10. Each prefix changes the base unit by a factor of 10, 100, or 1,000.
| Measurement | Base Unit | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Length | meter | m |
| Volume | liter | L |
| Mass/Weight | gram | g |
| Prefix | Symbol | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| kilo- | k | 1,000 | 1 kg = 1,000 g |
| (base) | - | 1 | meter, gram, liter |
| centi- | c | 1/100 (0.01) | 1 cm = 0.01 m |
| milli- | m | 1/1,000 (0.001) | 1 mg = 0.001 g |
| micro- | mcg or ΞΌ | 1/1,000,000 | 1 mcg = 0.000001 g |
"King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk"
Kilo β Hecto β Deka β Base β Deci β Centi β Milli
Each step = multiply or divide by 10
Healthcare Focus: Just memorize these three: - kilo = 1,000 Γ base (kg = 1,000 g) - milli = 1/1,000 of base (1,000 mg = 1 g) - micro = 1/1,000,000 of base (1,000 mcg = 1 mg)
Moving from LARGER to SMALLER units β move decimal RIGHT (multiply) Moving from SMALLER to LARGER units β move decimal LEFT (divide)
Set up a proportion using known equivalents.
Problem: Convert 2.5 g to mg.
Step 1 β Identify the direction. We're going from grams (larger unit) to milligrams (smaller unit). Going from big to small means we get MORE of the smaller unit β so we multiply.
Step 2 β Use the conversion factor. 1 g = 1,000 mg. To convert grams to milligrams, multiply by 1,000.
Step 3 β Multiply. 2.5 Γ 1,000 = 2,500 mg.
Answer: 2,500 mg
π‘ Multiplying by 1,000 is easy: just move the decimal 3 places to the right. 2.5 β 2500.
The worked examples and practice problems are the part that actually prepares you for the TEAS.
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