Pediatric Medication Administration:

Question 1

Nursing Considerations re: Pediatric Medication Administration

Answer 1

• Use a pediatric drug guide reference
• Med checks- right patient, drug, time, dose, reason. Understand side effects, allergies, drug interactions
• Children are more vulnerable to medication errors.

Question 2

Oral Medications

Answer 2

• Can be administered in food or liquid.
• Nipple, dropper, oral syringe, med cup, graduated spoon.
• Critical thinking***What would you do if the child spit out the medication immediately after administration?

Question 3

Nursing considerations for IM

Answer 3

Needle size- size of muscle mass, fat distribution, viscosity of solution, age of child.

Question 4

Ophthalmic Medications - eye

Answer 4

For older children, Instruct them to close their eyes, look up and the nurse will then retract the lower lid to insert the medication.

Question 5

Otic Medication- ear

Answer 5

less than three years
- Pull pinna back and downward
Greater than three years
- Pull pinna back and upward

Question 6

How to make med administration less threatening to a child

Answer 6

• Allow child to play with equipment
• Give come control by offering acceptable choices and allowing child to participate
• Give honest, simple explanations
• Create games
• Be discrete
• Be quick and offer rewards

Question 7

What are 3 things the nurse must know before medication can safely administered to a child?

Answer 7

• correct child, correct medication, right time
• correct dosage, right reason for giving med
• side effects of drug, allergies, drug interactions

Question 8

State 3 reasons why infants and children are more venerable to medication errors than adults?

Answer 8

• immature body systems , size differences
• limited ability to communicate
• potential for dosage error due to medication calculation for small doses, math error

Question 9

Briefly discuss 2 factors that contribute to errors in preparing pediatric medications.

Answer 9

• drug must be calculated, math errors, decimal point off, miscalculations of wt.
• different strengths of liquids medications, elixirs vs. syrups, not using correct measuring
  device.

Question 10

List 3 methods of giving oral medications to infants.

Answer 10

• nipple with or without syringe
• dropper
• oral syringe

Question 11

When selecting an appropriate needle size for giving an IM injection to a child, what 2 things would you consider?

Answer 11

• size of muscle mass, fat distribution
• viscosity of solution

Question 12

The most appropriate site to give an IM injection to a 9 month old is

Answer 12

vastus lateralis

Question 13

Specify 2 approaches a nurse could use to make medication administration less threatening for a child.

Answer 13

• honest with simple explanations, allow the child to play with equipment and dolls
• give the child some control, listen to the child’s fears and concerns

Question 14

17 month old Brian is receiving an oral antibiotic. The nursing approach should be based upon an understanding of his developmental needs. Which of the following actions might decrease his anxiety?

Answer 14

allow him to play with an empty medication cup