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Measurement Systems

Measurement Systems. Measurement Systems. T ABLE O F C ONTENTS. Lessons 1. English System Go 2. Metric System Go 3. Apothecary System Go 4. Conversions Go. Lesson 1– Measurement Systems. Various systems of measurement are used in health care: English Metric Apothecary

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Measurement Systems

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  1. Measurement Systems

  2. Measurement Systems TABLE OF CONTENTS Lessons 1. English System Go 2. Metric System Go 3. Apothecary System Go 4. Conversions Go

  3. Lesson 1– Measurement Systems • Various systems of measurement are used in health care: • English • Metric • Apothecary • Each system has its own units of measurement to designate length, volume, and weight.

  4. Lesson 1– The English System • The English system is the most common measurement system in the United States. • It is sometimes called the household system. • The English system is not the most accurate measurement system.

  5. Lesson 1– English System: Length • Inch (in) • Foot (ft) • Yard (yd) • Mile (mi)

  6. Lesson 1– English System: Weight • Ounce (oz) • Pound (lb) • Ton (tn)

  7. Lesson 1– English System: Volume • Drop (gtt or gt) • Teaspoon (t or tsp) • Tablespoon (T or tbsp) • Ounce (oz) • Cup (c) • Pint (pt) • Quart (qt) • Gallon (gal)

  8. Lesson 1– Convert English Units • The units in the English measuring system are related to each other. • Simple calculations may be used to convert from one unit to another. • Health care workers should memorize these relationships.

  9. Lesson 1– Convert English Units: Example 1 How many cups is 64 ounces of water? • Determine the number of ounces in 1 cup. • Divide the total number of ounces by the number of ounces in 1 cup. • Identify the answer.

  10. Lesson 1– Convert English Units: Example 2 How many ounces is 7 pounds? • Determine the number of ounces in 1 pound. • Multiply the total number of pounds by the number of ounces in 1 pound. • Identify the answer.

  11. Lesson 1– Convert English Units: Example 3 How many inches and feet is 54 inches? • Determine the number of inches in 1 foot. • Divide the total number of inches by the number of inches in 1 foot. • Multiply the number of whole feet by the number of inches in 1 foot. • Subtract the product of #3 from the total number of inches. • Identify the answer.

  12. Lesson 2– Metric System • Most countries outside of the United States use the metric system as the standard for measuring. • The metric system is more accurate than the English system. • Many people find the metric system easier to use than the English system.

  13. Lesson 2– Metric Units • The metric system has three base units of measurement: • Length is measured in meters (m). • Weight is measured in grams (g). • Volume is measured in liters (L). • Larger and smaller units are created by adding a prefix. Each prefix represents a value that relates to the base unit.

  14. Lesson 2– Metric Units (continued) • Metric prefixes: • Kilo has a value of 1,000. • Hecto has a value of 100. • Deca has a value of 10. • The base unit has a value of 1. • Deci has a value of 0.1. • Centi has a value of 0.01. • Milli has a value of 0.001. • To create a specific value, combine a base unit with a prefix.

  15. Lesson 2– Metric Relationships • 1 mL = 1 cc = 1 g • In other words, the amount of liquid in 1 milliliter is equal to the amount of liquid that can be held in 1 cubic centimeter. And, the amount of liquid in 1 milliliter or 1 cubic centimeter weighs 1 gram. • Medication is often measured in milliliters or cubic centimeters.

  16. Lesson 2– Metric System Conversions • Converting between metric units requires simple multiplication. • Example: How many kilograms is 1,670 grams? This chart shows that 1 gram = 0.001 kilograms. To convert grams into kilograms, multiply the number of grams by 0.001: 1,670 g × 0.001 kg = 1.67 kg

  17. Lesson 2– Conversion Shortcut • To convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit, move the decimal point the correct number of places to the right. • To convert from a smaller unit to a larger unit, move the decimal point the correct number of places to the left. • It may be necessary to add zeros as placeholders.

  18. Lesson 3– Apothecary System • The apothecary system is a system that was created in old England to measure weight and volume. • The apothecary system is not as common as the English or metric systems. • It is primarily used by physicians and pharmacists to write medication dosages.

  19. Lesson 3– Apothecary System: Weight • Grain (gr) • Dram (dr) • Ounce (oz) • Pound (lb)

  20. Lesson 3– Apothecary System: Volume • Minim (m) • Fluidram (fldr) • Fluidounce (floz) • Pint (pt) • Quart (qt) • Gallon (gal)

  21. Lesson 3– Convert Apothecary Units • Like the English system, the units of measurement in the apothecary system are related to each other. • One unit may be converted to another unit by using simple calculations.

  22. Lesson 3– Convert Apothecary Units (continued) How many drams is 15 ounces? • Determine the number of drams in 1 ounce. • Multiply the number of ounces by the number of drams in 1 ounce. • Identify the answer.

  23. Lesson 3– Apothecary Abbreviations • A combination of letters and numbers are used to make abbreviations in the apothecary system. • Follow these general guidelines: • If the amount is 1 or greater, use lower case Roman numerals. For example, 2 drams is written dr ii. • If the amount is less than 1, use a fraction. For example, 1/4 of an ounce is written oz 1/4. • If the amount contains the value 1/2, use ss. For example, 1/2 grain is written gr ss, and 2 and 1/2 grains is written gr iiss.

  24. Lesson 4– Convert Between Systems • Health care workers are often asked to convert from one system of measurement to another. • For example, hospitals frequently give medication in metric units, such as milliliters or cubic centimeters. However, in the home, patients are likely to measure medication using the English system, such as tablespoons or ounces.

  25. Lesson 4– Nomenclature • Each system has its own method of naming measurement units. This is called nomenclature. • Health care workers must be able to distinguish between systems and recognize the correct unit names for each system.

  26. Lesson 4– Procedure to Convert Between Systems • Determine an equivalent between the two systems. • Set up a parallel proportion, and use X for the unknown term. • Solve for X. • Verify that the answer is reasonable: • If converting from a smaller unit to a larger unit, the answer will be smaller. • If converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit, the answer will be larger.

  27. Lesson 4– Conversion Example How many tablespoons is 300 milliliters? • Determine an equivalent between two systems. • Set up a parallel proportion, while using X for the unknown term. • Solve for X. • Multiply the means. • Multiply the extremes. • Set up an equation so that the product of the means equals the product of the extremes. • Divide both sides of the equation by the number in front of the X. • Identify the answer. • Verify that the answer is reasonable.

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