This module supports you to build the knowledge, practical skills, and confidence needed to take an accurate paediatric medication history and complete a safe medicines reconciliation.
It provides a structured step by step approach and highlights the key differences between paediatric and adult practice, including weight and age-based dosing, formulation challenges and the need to ensure any dose or strength changes are clearly communicated to avoid confusion between the prescribed dose and the volume given.
This module emphasises the importance of gathering information from both children, young people and their parents or carers, helping you feel more confident when working with children and young people. It aims to support you to recognise and manage common challenges encountered in everyday practice when taking paediatric medication histories and completing medicines reconciliation.
This has primarily been designed for pharmacy colleagues working in District General Hospital settings, but it may also be useful for those working in other settings who want to build confidence in this area of practice.
Estimated completion time: 30 minutes
Learning objectives
After completing unit 1: an introduction, you should be able to:
- Describe the difference between a medication history and medicines reconciliation in paediatric practice.
- Describe the key elements of a paediatric medication history, including who to involve and the types of information required.
- Explain how and why medication histories and medicines reconciliation in children and young people differ from adult practice.
- Recognise common challenges and assumptions that can affect the accuracy of paediatric medication histories and medicines reconciliation.
After completing unit 2: a structured approach, you should be able to:
- Take a structured paediatric medication history using a systematic approach that includes medicines from all sources and reflects how medicines are given at home.
- Gather and verify medicines information from children and young people, parents or carers, and available records, recognising when additional sources or considerations are required.
- Accurately check doses, strengths, and formulations of paediatric medicines, including liquid preparations, and identify discrepancies.
- Manage common challenges encountered when taking a paediatric medication history.
- Identify off-label and unlicensed medicines and know when to seek advice or escalate concerns to support safe medicines reconciliation.
- Document a clear and accurate paediatric medicines reconciliation that reflects your assessment, discrepancies identified, actions taken, and any follow-up required.
This module was developed in conjunction with the Neonatal & Paediatric Pharmacy Group
