Medication Safety in a Pediatric Hospital

Medication errors are still common, but not many have serious consequences such as patient injury or death. Medical authorities, like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), have researched the causes of such errors and informed the public with their policy statement.

Causes

• Medical errors in pediatric hospitals may occur due to human mistakes, whether the nurse's or the pharmacist's, or due to system flaws in the ordering or distribution of medication. They can result in unpredictable side effects or in injuries that could have been predicted if the patient informed the medical staff about allergies or reaction to a medication, and the health care providers had access to this information.

Solutions

• Properly trained medical personnel can prevent medication errors.

  Viable solutions include a larger number of properly trained nurses and pharmacy specialists in pediatric hospitals; computerized order entry systems to check for correct dosage, allergies or possible side effects; the use of "smart pump" technology (programmable infusion pumps); and parent involvement in medication safety.

Other Safety Practices

• According to Kaleida Health News other safety behaviors that can prevent medication errors and are recommended for pediatric hospitals include use of technology for records, a standardized ordering format, an efficient process of ordering medication, and the ability to manage situations involving unusual medication.