[Paediatric patients, a population at risk to drug management: A study in a hospital]

Managing medicines at risk in hospitals is a current issue that is part of a continuous improvement process. A specific focus was made on the management of medication risk in paediatric patients, who were identified as a particularly at-risk population.

A specific multi-professional working group met and carried out an inventory of paediatric sectors, focusing on storage facilities and the documents or displays available on the subject. They drew up then a list of high alert medications, based on data from the literature, an analysis of adverse event reports and the inventory. They also identified priority areas for improvement.

The medicines identified as being at risk in paediatric sectors are insulin, injectable potassium, small plastic containers (electrolytes, hypertonics, etc.), parenteral nutrition, propofol, ketamine and morphine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine and atropine, aminoglycosides and vancomycin. A poster presenting these drugs grouped by type of risk and administration aids have been produced and/or updated. To reduce the risk of confusion, the storage of medicines has been reviewed.

Updating the approach to the management of high alert medications has made it possible to draw up a specific list for the paediatric sector and to carry out improvement actions deemed to be priorities. This process needs to be continued as part of a continuous improvement approach to patient care.