Topic 1:

Units and Measurements

 Introduction
• Familiar with a healthy lifestyle mantra?
• “10,000 steps a day keeps the doctor away”
• Counting the number of steps to get the
distance walked or travelled, or
• using an elbow length from the fingertip
• They are just few measurement process.
• These are measurements undertaken by
primitive mankind.
 What is measurement?
Measurement is the process of assigning
values/numbers.
always expressed in a scale defined by a
particular kind of unit.
The scales of a distance travelled primitively
had relation to the human body, such as
The number of steps and length of an elbow.
However, the scale and units of measurement
evolved.
 Progression of Measuring Units
Before: measuring used “body parts”
Glitch: discrepancies and confusing multiplicity
of measuring scales.
Present: Metric System (in Europe)
English System (in United States)
Problem in English System: relative to a person
 English System
Length: Weight: Capacity:
1 foot (ft) = 12 1 pound (lb) = 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3
inches (in) 16 ounce (oz) teasponns (tsp)
1 yard (yd) = 3 feet 1 ton = 2000 1 cup (c) = 16
1 mile (mi) = 5280 pounds tablespoons
feet 1 cup = 8 fluid
1 mile = 1760 ounces (oz)
yards 1 pint (pt) = 2 cups
1 quart (qt) = 2 pints
1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts
 Metric System
Why it is called metric system?
since one of the main units in this system is
metre or meter.
is internationally use, specifically in sciences
(modern nursing), because of its convenience.
is easy to use considering that its base is a
multiple of 10.
Hence, converting one unit to another unit is
handy and cool.
 Systeme Internationale (SI) Unit
The acceptance of metric system in the field of
science in general, had been improved leading
to the adoption of the more basic set of units
called
(SI) Unit - a metric based system
considered as the standard measuring units in
sciences and technology.
But…, English system is practical
in the absence of measuring tool, use body part.
 Why measurement is important?
measured quantity is always the basis for the
health professional in making decision e.g.,
Administration of i.v. and drugs
Drugs/medicine is always based on the physical
condition of a patient
The measured quantity also includes time and
frequency.
 Components of measurement
1. Number - shows the amount of something
2. Unit - a standard quantity used to express a
physical quantity
Scenario:
Suppose a patient who had met an accident loss
a blood of “5”
Is it alarming?
Yes and No….
Why?
 Yes, measured quantity is alarming..
describing human body’s microbiological or
chemical composition, such as:
 red/white blood cells count,
platelet count and
body temperature and weight,
When not to worry? in normal range
When to worry?  outside the normal range
Hence, measurements is vital in health care.
 7 types of Measurements in SI
• 1. Length, measured in meters (m)
• 2. Mass, measured in kilograms (kg)
• 3. Time, measured in seconds (s)
• 4. Temperature, measured in Kelvins (K), but
0
degree Celsius ( 𝐶) is most used
• 5. Electric current, measured in amperes (A)
• 6. Luminous intensity, measured in candelas (cd)
• 7. Quantity of substances, measured in moles
(mol)
 Derived Units in SI
• The 7 types of measurements:
• Length, Mass, Time, Temperature, Electric
Current, Luminous intensity, and the Quantity of
substances.
• Other measurements such as area , force and
blood pressure, among others.
• Can be obtained using the seven basic types of
measurement by derivation of the combined
basic units.
 Prefixes of a Metric System
o Why is this important?
o Indicates the magnitude of the units used.
o For example, measuring a very short distance is
done by the prefix millimeters,
o Whereas a very long distance can be measured
in kilometers.
o Though measuring units are convertible, it is
wise to use it appropriately by using correct
prefixes.
 Prefixes of a Metric System
o
 Derived Units
o
 Metric Conversion
o When is conversion significant?
o The prescribed quantity/dosage of drug is not
available,
o Instead a drug of the same brand but of
different quantity is available.
o In order to use the available drug, conversion of
quantity must be done.
o Else, error will be committed if not correctly
converted
 Metric Conversion Examples
• 1. How many grams are there in 74 mg?
• Answer:
• Recall that in the unit mg, the prefix is m which
means “milli” or 0.001. Now, to get the grams,
just multiple 74 by 0.001 to get 0.074 and the
unit is gram.
• That is, 74 mg = 74 x 0.001 = 0.074 g.
 Metric Conversion Examples
• 2. Change 7.8 M units of amoxicillin to
amoxicillin units.
• Answer:
• The M signifies “mega” which means millions.
• Thus, 7.8 M units of amoxicillin is equal to 7,8 x
1,000,000 = 7,800,000 units.
 Metric Conversion Examples
• 3. The doctor prescribed a 1,500 𝜇g of a drug for
a certain patient. However, the only available
tablet is 1 mg. How many would be given to the
patient?
• Answer:
• 1 and ½ of the mg tablet
• Why?
• Follow me in the next slide
 Explanation of Ex. 3
• The case simply means, how many micrograms
is 1 milligram.
• Recall that 𝜇 means “micro” and is equivalent to
0.000,001 and the m means “milli” equivalent
to 0.001.
• This imply that 1,000 𝜇g = 1 mg.
• Since the doctor ordered 1,500𝜇g, hence, the
patent must be given 1 mg (which is 1,000𝜇g)
plus 500𝜇g = ½ = 0.5 of 1 mg.
• In other words, 1,500 𝜇g=1.5 mg . The patient
should take 1 and ½ of the mg tablet.
 Explanation of Ex. 3
• Alternative explanation and solution:

• The tail of the arrow means 1,000 units

equivalent to one unit head of the arrow, i.e.,
• One milligram is equivalent to 1,000 micrograms
and one gram is equal to 1,000 milligrams.
• Hence, the 1,500 𝜇g can be expressed as