What are some considerations when administering medication to a pediatric patient?

Considerations for prescribing medications in pediatrics include: whether the drug is safe and approved for use in children; what the appropriate dose is for the child’s age and weight; and, what key information about adverse reactions needs to be communicated to the parent or caregiver.

Why do pediatric patients require special dosing considerations?

Pediatric patients experience unique differences from the adult population in pharmacokinetic parameters and, consequently, require individualized dosing. Medications useful in pediatric medicine often lack a therapeutic indication and dosing guideline for this population.

What are common safety concerns in the pediatric hospital setting?

NG tube misplacement. Use the NG tube safety alert to help your hospital reduce risk of harm.

Thermal injuries. Assess your hospital’s risk for thermal injury.

Medication safety. Mitigate extended release medication fill and administration errors.

Diagnostic errors.

Diabetes care.

Procedural mishaps.

How do you assess a pediatric patient?

There is an agreed-upon approach to evaluation of a child. The following three recommendations will aid in the evaluation of the child. First, stay at the child’s level while observing them; second, get as much history from them as possible; and third, do the exam from least distressing to most distressing.

What are the nursing considerations before administration?

Prior to the administration of medications, the nurse must check and validate the medication order, and also apply their critical thinking skills to the ordered medication and the status and condition of the client in respect to the contraindications, pertinent lab results, pertinent data like vital signs, client …

What is the purpose of weighing a pediatric patient?

Why is it Important to Weigh and Measure Infants, Children and Adolescents Accurately? Accuracy is important in obtaining all pediatric size measurements because these measurements will be used as the basis of clinical assessment and to calculate various estimates of body composition such as Body Mass Index (BMI).

What are some safety considerations?

General Precautions

Your safety is your personal responsibility.
Always follow the correct procedures.
Never take shortcuts.
Take responsibility and clean up if you made a mess.
Clean and organize your workspace.
Ensure a clear and easy route to emergency exits and equipment.
Be alert and awake on the job.

What special considerations would apply when you are performing a physical assessment on a child?

Preparation Tips

Assess the child/adolescent’s level of fearfulness before the exam.
Be aware of fears specific to age or developmental level and be familiar with some management techniques.
Allow the child/adolescent as much control as possible during all phases of the exam.

What is the purpose of age-specific considerations in patient care?

The purpose of Age-Specific Considerations in Patient Care is to provide healthcare professionals with information about different age groups, how to identify needs related to these age groups, and how to vary patient care issues with age specific needs in mind.

What are the admission criteria for paediatric thermal injuries?

Hospital admission criteria for paediatric patients with thermal injury include the following: Partial thickness burns greater than 10% of total BSA (TBSA) Full thickness burns greater than 2% of TBSA Burns involving the face, hands, genitalia, perineum, or major joints Circumferential extremity burns

When is parenteral fluid resuscitation indicated in the treatment of pediatric burns?

In small burns, parenteral fluid resuscitation is not needed. As a rule of thumb, a child with less than 10% BSA superficial burns does not need parenteral fluids. However, in the presence of deep burns parenteral resuscitation may be needed.

How do you care for each age group differently?

However, you care for each one quite differently because each age group has unique characteristics and needs: physical, including motor/sensory attributes; psychosocial and developmental tasks; cognitive and intellectual functioning, and major fears and stressors.