Pediatric Patients and Medication Errors
It has been a long-known fact that medication errors are significant source of adverse events and mortality in adults and children in both the hospital and community setting. And nowhere is this more true than with the prescribing and administration of medications to children and adolescents. Contrary to popular belief, children are not “little adults”, and in a world that caters primarily to adults, often the needs of this population are often overlooked or shied away from.
According to National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP), a medication error is “any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in control of the healthcare professional, patient, or consumer”. Not all medication errors cause harm, and many are caught before they even reach a patient. When a medication error causes harm, it is then classified as an adverse drug event, or ADE.
In pediatrics, medication errors are amongst the most common events reported to the Child Health Patient Safety Organization, (PSO). Around 79% of all medication errors happen during the prescribing phase, and between 2009 and 2022, have accounted for roughly 21% of safety events reported. Outside the hospital, it is estimated that every 8 minutes in the United States, a child experiences a medication error.
Children are complex beings that have different medication needs as they age, and are particularly vulnerable to medication errors. There is a lack of pediatric specific medications available on the market, which can lead to dosing and prescribing errors. Providers also need to calculate doses for children based on a patient’s weight (in kilograms, kg), or body surface area (BSA), which can also be an opportunity for potential error.
Taking care of the pediatric population requires advanced knowledge and training to account for every stage of life. And no one is more qualified to help with medication administration and dosing than a board-certified pediatric pharmacist.
A board-certified pediatric pharmacist is very qualified, highly-trained professional who understands the physiologic needs of a child as they age, and who can help optimize your child’s medications, reducing over-utilization of medications, and making sure all their medicines are safe, correct, and accessible.
We believe in empowering parents with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their child’s health. We can make sure your child is on the right medication, the right dosing, up to date on their immunizations, and what to look for in terms of any side effects. In collaboration with your healthcare provider, we can help streamline your child’s medications and provide follow up monitoring to ensure safety and adherence. We can help connect parents with providers if they are looking to establish care for their child.
Reach out to us today to see how we can help!