Question

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the metric system and the household system. When is each system appropriate to use?

Answer 1

Metric standardization

As Modern Healthcare recently reported, the AAP, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices have long recommended that health care facilities use only the metric system in order to avoid confusion about patient weights and medication dosages.The metric system is the most widely used measurement system in the world; it is also the primary measurement system used in the medical field. Healthcare professionals, including medical assistants, must have the ability to convert units of measurement within and between the metric and US customary systems.

ADVANTAGES

Because the metric system is a decimal system of weights and measures it is easy to convert between units (e.g. from millimetres to metres, or grams to kilograms) simply by multiplying or dividing by 10, 100, 1000, etc.

DISADVANTAGE

Difficult to Use With Fractions

The only major disadvantage in using the metric system is that it's not well-suited for working with fractions. For example, 1/6 meter is approximately equivalent to 167 millimeters and 1/3 kilogram is approximately equal to 333 grams.

House hold standardization

Although the household measurement system is used in homes, it is the least precise and exact of all the measurement systems. For this reason, the household measurement system is rarely used in our health care facilities but it is sometimes used for prescription that will be taken in the home after hospitalization

In the metric system liquid volumes are measured in milliliters or liters. Weight is measured in micrograms, milligrams, grams, or kilograms. In the household system liquid volumes are measured in quarts, pints, cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. Weight is measured in ounces & pounds.

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