Children form a complex patient group where prescribing is concerned. The umbrella term paediatrics ranges from a very low birth weight premature infant perhaps weighing just 500 grams right up to a teenager.
Whether we are dealing with premature infant, a full-term neonate, a toddler or an older child, at each age band, drug pharmacokinetics vary. This is what makes prescribing for children complex.
This course covers the elements of safe and appropriate prescribing and how you can incorporate these elements into the practice of Paediatrics.
"Children are not small adults. This catch phrase is probably overused but it still rings true. In the past some clinicians made an erroneous assumption that if a child weighed, for example, seven kilos or 10% of the adult weight, then the dose of a particular drug would be 10% of the adult dose. That assumption is quite flawed and has had some disastrous consequences."
Eileen Butler, Pharmacist
On completion of the course you will be better prepared to prescribe the right dose of the right drug for the right diagnosis to the right patient at the right time and via the right route.
This online course will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete in total.
This course is suitable for BST Trainees and NCHDs.
This course is delivered online via RCPI Brightspace.
