The Three W's of Acetaminophen In Children: Who, Why, and Which Administration Mode.

Acetaminophen is one of the oldest medications commonly administered in children. Its efficacy in treating fever and pain is well accepted among clinicians. However, the available evidence supporting the use of acetaminophen's different modes of administration remains relatively scarce and poorly known. This short report summarizes the available evidence and provides a framework to guide clinicians regarding a rational use of acetaminophen in children.

Compatibility of Lactated Ringer's Injection With 94 Selected Intravenous Drugs During Simulated Y-site Administration.

Objective: To test the compatibility of intravenous (IV) lactated Ringer's injection (LR) with 94 injectable (IV) drugs during simulated Y-site administration. Methods: Ninety-four IV drugs were investigated for compatibility with LR (Baxter). Each sample was prepared in duplicate and performed at room temperature. Two observers performed visual evaluation independently immediately upon mixing and then 15 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 4 hours after admixture. Another observer performed a particle counting test on 1 of the 2 duplicates of each admixture that did not immediately show incompatibility and then after 4 hours by a light obscuration particle count test. Results: Of the 94 tested drugs, 86 were found to be compatible with LR. A total of 8 drugs were found to be physically incompatible. Of these incompatible drugs, 7 were directly identified visually and 1 was confirmed by the light obscuration particle count test. Conclusion: Lactated Ringer's injection was physically compatible for 4 hours with 86 tested drugs during simulated Y-site administration. Eight drugs, ciprofloxacin, cyclosporine, diazepam, ketamine, lorazepam, nitroglycerin, phenytoin, and propofol, were found to be incompatible and should not be administered with LR.

Program to Manage New and Expensive Drugs in Pediatrics: Profile of a New Drug Policy and a 12-Month Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: With growing financial pressure and the range of new and expensive drugs, hospital administrators, clinicians, and pharmacy directors are facing tough decisions on how to manage drug budgets. At a Canadian mother-child hospital, a policy for new and expensive drugs was developed, with the goal of managing their use and costs. OBJECTIVES: To describe the development and implementation of a policy for new and expensive drugs in a mother-child teaching hospital and to describe the profile of requests for these therapies over a 12-month period. METHODS: A brainstorming session was conducted with members of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee to define the criteria for new and expensive drugs at the study hospital and a new process to evaluate requests for these drugs. Over the 12-month period following implementation of the policy, all requests for new and expensive drugs were evaluated through collection and analysis of relevant data. RESULTS: The new drug policy was launched on October 1, 2014. Over the following 12-month period, a total of 58 requests for new and expensive drugs were discussed, but only 47 request forms were completed and signed by a physician and a clinical pharmacist. CONCLUSIONS: New and expensive drugs represent a challenge for clinicians and hospital stakeholders. This study illustrates the implementation of a new policy for these drugs in a mother-child teaching hospital over a 12-month period.

CONTEXTE: Les budgets de plus en plus serrés et la gamme de médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux placent les administrateurs, les cliniciens et les directeurs de pharmacie des hôpitaux devant des décisions difficiles en ce qui touche la gestion des dépenses en médicaments. On a mis au point, dans un hôpital canadien mère-enfant, une politique concernant les médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux avec pour objectif de gérer leur utilisation et leurs coûts. OBJECTIFS: Décrire l'élaboration et la mise en place d'une politique sur les médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux dans un hôpital universitaire mère-enfant et décrire le profil des demandes pour ces pharmacothérapies sur une période de 12 mois. MÉTHODES: Les membres du comité de pharmacologie ont procédé à une séance de remue-méninges dans le but de définir les critères pour les médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux dans l'hôpital à l'étude et un nouveau processus servant à évaluer les demandes pour ces médicaments. Au cours des 12 mois suivant la mise en place de la politique, toutes les demandes pour des médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux ont été évaluées à l'aide d'une cueillette et d'une analyse de données pertinentes. RÉSULTATS: La nouvelle politique sur les médicaments a été lancée le 1er octobre 2014. Au cours des 12 mois suivants, un total de 58 demandes pour des médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux ont été analysées, mais seulement 47 formulaires de demande ont été remplis et signés par un médecin et un pharmacien clinicien. CONCLUSIONS: Les médicaments nouveaux ou coûteux représentent un défi pour les cliniciens et les parties prenantes des hôpitaux. La présente étude décrit la mise en place d'une nouvelle politique pour ces médicaments dans un hôpital universitaire mère-enfant sur une période de 12 mois.

Retrospective Analysis of Emerging Drugs Use in a Quebec Women's and Children's University Hospital and Perspectives for Safe and Optimal Drug Use.

BACKGROUND: Only few medicines are licensed for children. The use of emerging drugs (unmarketed drug, off-label drug with poorly documented use, and/or costly drugs) might represent an essential alternative for pediatric patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess emerging drug uses rate and profile in our women's and children's centre to support the implementation of an appropriate policy. METHODS: We identified retrospectively emerging drugs used between 2013-01-01 and 2014-02-28, using computerized pharmacist software extraction of drugs used. Conventional oncologic drugs were excluded. Retrospective analysis of medical charts for patients who received an emerging drug and literature review for each drug were performed to determine efficacy and safety endpoints. Median delays between first intention and final decision to use the drug and between final decision and first administration were calculated. Proportion of patients who experienced a positive evolution under treatment or a side effect possibly related to the drug was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 26 emerging drugs were identified (89 patients, 99 uses). Median treatment duration was 66 days [1-1435]. Median delay between first evocation and final decision to use the drug was 2 days [0-333] and 0 day [0-404] between final decision and first administration. 52/99 (53%) of patients experienced a positive evolution under treatment and 26/99 (26%) experienced a side effect possibly related to emerging drug use. CONCLUSIONS: This study allowed us to describe emerging drug uses in a women and children tertiary hospital. It led to the implementation of a local emerging drug use policy ensuring optimal and safe use of these drugs. There is a significant number of emerging drugs used in pediatric which shows positive improvement in 56% of patients.

Giving back the pen: disclosure, apology and early compensation discussions after harm in the healthcare setting.

In her recently published book After Harm, Nancy Berlinger shares a story about Bishop Desmond Tutu as he comments on the importance of restitution or compensation after an event that has led to harm. Transparency and disclosure are very much on the healthcare agenda in Canada. The increased interest in training providers for difficult conversations and disclosure is a positive sign. Using honest disclosure and apology as important interventions, organizations are beginning to adopt a more open approach to the concept of rebuilding trust after a patient has been harmed. But there continues to be significant reluctance to take the next logical step to solidify the fiduciary relationship between provider and patient - the willingness to enter into early discussions about compensation, non-monetary and otherwise. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has developed, with the participation of the facility insurers, a process to identify those cases in which it would be appropriate not only to offer an apology of responsibility but also to initiate discussions around the questions of restitution and compensation. The article describes the steps that led to the development of a detailed process map for such cases and shares the algorithm that has been adopted. As well, the potential challenges associated with such an approach when there are multiple liability and insurance providers are discussed.

Comparison of pain management in paediatric surgical patients in two hospitals in France and Canada.

OBJECTIVE: Pain management in children has improved substantially over the last few years but continues to vary widely across institutions. Our objective was to describe the evaluation and treatment of pain in paediatric patients in two hospitals (Robert Debré in Paris, France, and Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada) and to compare conformity with quality criteria. METHOD: Retrospective medical chart of a total of 200 patients with uncomplicated appendectomy, spinal fusion, ureteroneocystostomy, or laparoscopic cholecystectomy were analysed, with special attention to nurses' entries, prescriptions, and medication administration sheets. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Patient characteristics and variables pertaining to pain evaluation (tool and result) and treatment (date, prescription and administration details) were collected. Quality criteria for evaluating conformity with guidelines were taken from the literature. Any change in medication, dosage, or dosing interval was taken as a new prescription. RESULTS: About 929 prescriptions and 2,388 numerical pain scores were recorded for 200 patients. Pain was recorded at 70.8% of vital-sign evaluations at the Robert-Debré Hospital compared to 30.9% at the Sainte-Justine hospital (P < 0.0001). A validated age-appropriate pain evaluation tool was used in 97.4 and 94.1% of evaluations in these two hospitals, respectively (P < 0.0001). Analgesic dosage was appropriate in 92.5% of prescriptions at Robert-Debré and 86.0% of those at Sainte-Justine (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: This study documents differences in post-operative pain management between two paediatric hospitals. We found differences between the two hospitals regarding the frequency of pain evaluation, the use of validated tools for evaluating pain, and analgesic dosages. Continued efforts to educate prescribing physicians and other healthcare providers are needed to improve pain management in children.