About DoseStep
Why DoseStep exists
Medication maths rarely goes wrong because of the arithmetic. It goes wrong when a unit is misread, a decimal point slips or a number lands in the wrong field. A calculator that only prints an answer gives you no way of spotting that.
So DoseStep follows one rule: every result shows how it was reached. Each calculator lays out the formula, the numbers it used and every intermediate step. You can follow the reasoning, compare it with your own and see straight away when something looks wrong.
DoseStep is a free, independent educational project, founded and run by Ivan. There is no company behind it, no paid tier and no advertising.
Who it is for
- Nurses who want a quick, transparent check of a calculation they have already done by hand.
- Nursing students learning dosage calculations, who need to see the method as well as the answer.
- Educators looking for clear worked examples for teaching and revision.
What you will find
- 40 clinical calculators in 10 areas: medication doses, IV rates and infusions, dilutions, clinical scores such as GCS, CHA₂DS₂-VASc and CURB-65, heart and lungs, body measures, kidney function, lab values, fluids and burns, and everyday tools like BMI, due date and a blood pressure category checker.
- Practice questions with fresh numbers every time, so you can train dosage maths and check your working.
- Guides and comparisons that explain which formula to use and why: eGFR or creatinine clearance, Bazett or Fridericia, how to read a blood gas step by step.
- A dictionary of medical abbreviations, with the error-prone ones flagged so you know which shorthand is best avoided.
Every page is available in English and Italian.
What DoseStep is not
DoseStep helps you learn and check. It is not a medical device and it does not give medical advice. It does not replace the prescription, the product information supplied with a medicine, your local policies and protocols, or the judgement of the professionals caring for the patient. We recommend checking every result against those sources, and asking a colleague or pharmacist when something does not add up.
We recommend reading the full disclaimer before using the calculators in practice.
How the calculators are built
The formulas come from their original publications or recognised references. Each one is covered by automated tests, and every input is checked before anything is calculated. The clinical content has not yet been reviewed by a named healthcare professional. The details are on the how we calculate page.
What’s coming
Next on the list:
- Lessons that build skills step by step, from unit conversions to infusions.
- Clinical scenarios that put the maths into a realistic shift.
Get in touch
Found an error, or have an idea for a calculator? Corrections and suggestions are always welcome: see the contact page.