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A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Emergency drug availability on general paediatric units

Michael R Perkin1, Emmanuel Q Wey

  • 1Department of Child Health, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 0RE, UK. mperkin@sghms.ac.uk

Resuscitation
|August 6, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Emergency drug availability on UK paediatric wards varies significantly. Over 10% of units lack essential first-line emergency medicines, highlighting a need for standardized stocking lists.

Area of Science:

  • Paediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacy
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • Intravenous lorazepam unavailability on a general paediatric ward prompted an investigation.
  • Emergency drug availability is critical for timely paediatric patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a national survey of emergency drug availability on general paediatric units in the United Kingdom.
  • To identify variations in stocking of essential paediatric emergency medications.

Main Methods:

  • A national survey was conducted using questionnaires sent to 274 UK general paediatric units.
  • Availability of 13 key emergency drugs, based on Advanced Paediatric Life Support and British National Formulary guidelines, was assessed.
  • A response rate of 88.3% was achieved, with data from 222 units.

Main Results:

  • Drug availability varied widely, with adrenaline (100%) and atropine (98.2%) being most common, while adenosine (72.1%) and flumazenil (66.7%) were least available.
  • Six first-line emergency drugs (adrenaline, atropine, adenosine, lorazepam, paraldehyde, aminophylline) were identified.
  • Over 10% of units did not stock at least two of these crucial first-line drugs.

Conclusions:

  • Significant discrepancies exist in the availability of essential emergency drugs across UK general paediatric units.
  • A consensus-based list of essential emergency drugs for all paediatric units is recommended to ensure consistent patient care.
  • Addressing drug availability gaps is crucial for improving paediatric emergency response.

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