prescibing in children

Question 1

6RS

Answer 1

Right medication
Right dose
Right patient
Right route
Right time
Right documentation

Question 2

CONCORDANCE

Answer 2

• Aim for partnership:
  child or young person
  parents (or person with parental responsibility)
  health professional
• Consider how you explain things
• Compliance influenced by:
  Formulation (not all licensed for paediatric use)
  Taste
  Appearance
  Ease of administration
• Involvement in the decision making

Question 3

ISSUE OF CONSENT

Answer 3

Children and young people have a right to be informed about their care and treatment

They have a right to be involved in decision making

They have a right to consent to treatment and this, or their assent should be sought

Refusal of treatment : No legal right to refuse

Question 4

PAEDIATRIC MEDICATION ERRORS

Answer 4

Question 5

PRESCRIPTION WRITING

Answer 5

Age is mandatory for children under 12 years of age.

Preferable to:
state the age for all prescriptions for children
include weight

Important to state the strengths of capsules or tablets
Careful about milligram (mg) and microgram (mcg).
Medications have different concentrations
paracetamol can be 120mg/5mL or 250mg/5mL

Sugar-free medicines are preferred for long-term treatment.

Don’t mix medications with food/drink