A randomised trial to evaluate prescribing accuracy when using the Paediatric Analgesia Wheel

Area of Science:

• Pediatric pharmacology
• Clinical pharmacy
• Medical device development

Background:

• Accurate drug prescribing in children is crucial for patient safety.
• Existing resources like the British National Formulary for Children (BNFC) may have limitations in efficiency and accuracy.
• There is a need for improved tools to support paediatric drug administration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy and time efficiency of the Paediatric Analgesia Wheel compared to the BNFC for prescribing common paediatric medications.
• To determine if the Paediatric Analgesia Wheel offers a superior method for drug dosage calculations in paediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• A simulated prescription task involving 14 prescriptions for two paediatric patients was designed.
• Fifty-two doctors from anaesthesia, paediatrics, and emergency medicine were randomized to use either the BNFC or the Paediatric Analgesia Wheel.
• The number of correct prescriptions and time taken were recorded and compared between the two groups.

Main Results:

• The Paediatric Analgesia Wheel group achieved a significantly higher mean number of correct prescriptions (10.9) versus the BNFC group (3.5).
• Prescribing with the Paediatric Analgesia Wheel was significantly faster, taking a mean of 5.8 minutes compared to 12.4 minutes for the BNFC.
• These findings indicate a substantial improvement in both accuracy and efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The Paediatric Analgesia Wheel is a more time-efficient and accurate tool for prescribing analgesic and anti-emetic drugs to children.
• This device represents a valuable advancement in paediatric medication safety and administration.
• Healthcare professionals may benefit from adopting the Paediatric Analgesia Wheel for routine paediatric prescribing.