NURS 6521 Week 11.docx - Week 11 Pediatrics Children deal...

Week 11: Pediatrics
Children deal with variety of health issues similar to adults, but they also have issues
that are more prevalent within their population. One issue that significantly impacts
children is the prescription of drugs for off-label use. Consider the case of Rebecca
Riley. When she was two years old, Riley was diagnosed with ADHD, and by age three,
she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In the span of two years, Riley’s doctor
prescribed four drugs off-label: Clonidine, Depakote, Zyprexa, and Seroquel. Riley’s
doctor also approved 13 increases in drug dosages. Then, at age four, Riley died from
pneumonia combined with a toxic level of prescription drugs (Lambert, 2010). Cases
such as this have brought attention to the off-label use of drugs in pediatric patients, as
well as the importance of monitoring patient reactions to prescribed drugs and
evaluating the effects of drug-drug interactions. As an advanced practice nurse, how do
you determine the appropriate use of off-label drugs in pediatrics? Are there certain
drugs that should be avoided with pediatric patients?
This week you examine the practice of prescribing off-label drugs to children. You also
explore strategies for making off-label drug use safer for children from infancy to
adolescence as it is essential that you are prepared to make drug–related decisions for
pediatric patients in clinical settings.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this week, students will:
 Evaluate the practice of prescribing off-label drugs to children
 Analyze strategies to make the off-label use of drugs safer for children
 Understand and apply key terms, concepts, and principles related to prescribing
drugs to treat pediatric patients
Photo Credit: XiXinXing/Getty Images
Learning Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the
page to see all of this week's assigned Learning Resources. To access select media
resources, please use the media player below.