Common Pediatric Meds?

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Hi all!

I am a new grad starting orientation for a school-age acute care/hem-onc unit at a great children's hospital next week. I KNOW that pharmacology is one of my weakest areas and want to begin to review/study medications that I'll probably run into on the unit. I understand how essential it is to know WHAT you're giving, what effect it's supposed to have on the body, how it works, and side effects. Working with children allows for less room for error and quicker adverse reaction time, which makes medication knowledge even more essential. Can anyone give me an idea of the drugs they typically see on their units? I've researched some threads with the same question, but they're pretty old and wanted to see if there was anything else I should look into. I'm excited for this opportunity and want to prepare myself as much as I can.

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I am on a H/O unit and we see a lot of anti-emetics (Zofran, phenergan gel and Ativan), pain meds (dilaudid, toradol and morphine) and antibiotics (vancomycin and cefepime). Some others include nystatin, Pepcid, Benadryl, decadron, Colace. These are probably the most common for our unit.

Best of luck!!

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Thank you so much! I'll put those on my list of meds to study!

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Specializes in Pedi.

Most kids with cancer/on active chemo are maintained on some sort of PCP prophylaxis- usually Bactrim or Mepron. While inpatient/getting chemotherapy, every antiemetic in the book- zofran, ativan, reglan, benadryl, scopolamine, aprepitant. The type(s) of chemo you give will depend on the specific diagnosis. Methotrexate, Cytarabine, Mercaptopurine, Prednisone and Dexamethasone are all used in ALL, the most common pediatric cancer. For brain tumors, the second most common pediatric cancer, you'll likely see high dose methotrexate, doxorubicin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, carboplatin, vincristine, etoposide. When they're in for fever and neutropenia, they'll be getting IV antibiotics, blood transfusions, probably electrolyte boluses, possibly narcotics.

mom22ccg, I am surprised that you use toradol in your pedi heme/onc patients. Ours are not allowed to get any NSAIDs.

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Wow! That was very detailed. I appreciate that. I'll jump on those ASAP as well!

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[quote=KelRN215;8591961

mom22ccg, I am surprised that you use toradol in your pedi heme/onc patients. Ours are not allowed to get any NSAIDs.

We often give schedule Toradol to our Sickle Cell patients when they are admitted for pain crisis.

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Specializes in Pedi.
We often give schedule Toradol to our Sickle Cell patients when they are admitted for pain crisis.

Oh ok, I was thinking onc patients. No NSAIDs for them

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Allopurinol

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Mother-Baby and SCN.

I don't know if you're still interested in suggestions but figured I'd throw some in anyway :) (tried not to go for any repeats of above!)

Prednisone, Ventolin, Pulmicort, Atrovent, Singulair; Gentamicin, Ampicillin, flagyl, biaxin.

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