need help with project

Talk to the NM and find out what problems exist.

How about an instruction sheet for proper medication administration for babies?

how about locating a tool (may be on your hospital software, such as Micromedex) that allows nurse to calculate drugs for emergencies based on PALS recommendations. We can type in weight and get immediate dosing on all the drugs. We then put on the chart as part of admit papers. If emergency arises, there is no guess work.

Well, I have an idea that pertains to both pediatric populations and ER populations. When I did my public health rotation in nursing school, I worked in a large ER with a 70% cash patient population. A majority of patients were actually pediatric; the parents would bring sick babies in who were running low-grade fevers and whenever we asked why the parents didn't just call their pediatrician and give Tylenol, many of them said they wanted to prove that their baby had a fever when they brought him/her in. Patient education for the parents re: baby fever management would be pretty useful in this setting as well as cost-saving, considering that we probably, for the most part, took the baby's temperature and just gave Tylenol in the end, and slapped the parents with a costly ER bill just for some Tylenol, while increasing wait times for everyone who were waiting for services that day.

I don't know what your patient census is in your ER, but I'd be willing to bet this is similar at your facility. Perhaps a brochure or patient handout that educates the parents on proper administration of Tylenol based on temperature thresholds, such as give x mg of Tylenol x times a day, not to exceed x mg in 24 hours for a fever x degrees or below. Call or notify physician if fever exceeds x degrees.....etc.

thankyou for your reply,sounds like a good idea

Hi SOCALMATT, strangely this is something that comes up for us all the time.the childrens ward hand out this sheet,but apparently didn't think it was of significance to tell us,so i will be getting this sheet bought down to the ED

Hi classicdame,The amount of times that I have heard of nurses complain that this type of software isn't available is, so that is definately a good idea.I like the way that you have all replied something to do with medication,it points out that there must be a big problem. I have made some advances with my original project which was improving the paediatric screening tools on our electronic medical records system-problem was i have to get these passed at a local and state level. The boss also now wants me to look into writing up competencies relating to paediatrics that nurses in ED need to pass annually so if any of you have any ideas for these that would be much appreciated,thanks for repying so quickly.