Administering medication to children is a unique challenge requiring specialized knowledge and skills. The nurse must consider each child's age, background and level of physical and psychosocial development, and the administration process must be tailored to meet these particular needs. In addition, children are particularly vulnerable to medication errors.

The two-part "Medicating Children" series demonstrates the safest, gentlest and least intrusive methods of administering pediatric medications to children of varying ages. Includes clear guidelines for the preventions of errors, appropriate precautions and instruction on the precise administration of otic, ophthalmic, nasal, oral and rectal medications.

The series consists of two programs:

MEDICATING CHILDREN: Preventing Errors, 14 minutes
Due to their small size and other physiological differences, children are particularly vulnerable to medication errors. This program focuses on strategies to prevent errors when administering medications to pediatric patients and review the "rights of medication administration" as they relate to pediatric patients.

Objectives:
*Describe factors that can lead to medication errors
*Identify tools that can be used to prevent medication errors with pediatric patients
*Describe the six "rights" of pediatric drug administration
*Explain the nurse's role in the administration of children's medications

MEDICATING CHILDREN: Techniques for Medication Administration, 23 minutes
Demonstrates and describes the safest, gentlest and least intrusive methods of administering pediatric medications to children of varying ages including instruction on the precise administration of otic, ophthalmic, nasal, oral, rectal and injectable medications.

Objectives:
*Demonstrate appropriate strategies for administering medication to children of different developmental levels
*Explain the nurse's role in the administration of children's medications
*Describe how to administer oral, otic, ophthalmic, rectal, nasal and injectable medications to children
*Select suitable injection sites for medication