Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews
Volume 9, Issue 1 , Page 1, March 2009

Editorial

Article Outline

 

Patient safety is a main focus point for health care today. Pediatric patients, especially neonates, are a high-risk, vulnerable population. A large proportion of patient errors occur in the neonatal population.1, 2, 3 Numerous organizations that focus on patient safety include the Agency for Healthcare Research,4 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations,5 Leap Frog Group,6 National Quality Forum,7 National Patient Safety Foundation,8 and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.9 These organizations frequently establish new standards and issue a variety of mandates.

As the field of neonatal pharmacology expands, practitioners must remain dedicated to rigorous scientific quality assurance to evaluate the risk-benefit ratio for these new therapies. Innovative technologies may raise new issues that we have not yet encountered. As the knowledge of neonatal pharmacology grows, so, too, does the mastery of this knowledge by health care providers. Given the vulnerability of this tiniest patient, knowledge of neonatal medications and the administration of these medications is paramount to limit liability for neonatal nurses and the units where they deliver care. We are honored to highlight Elizabeth Sharpe, who practices as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with Pediatrix Medical Group at Level III neonatal intensive care unit in South Florida. Elizabeth Sharpe, ARNP, MSN, NNP-BC, Guest Editor for the March 2009 NAINR issue, has dedicated this issue to neonatal pharmacology topics. This issue on neonatal pharmacology is packed with practices that are evidence based, yet some continue to be controversial.

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References 

  1. Forrest CF, Shipman SA, Dougherty D, Miller MR. Outcomes research in pediatric settings: recent trends and future directions. Pediatrics. 2003;111:171–178
  2. Miller MR, Zhan C. Pediatric patient safety in hospitals: a national picture in 2000. Pediatrics. 2004;113:1741–1746
  3. Stavroudis T, Miller M, Lehmann C. Medication Errors in Neonates. Clinics in Perinatology. 2008;35:141–161
  4. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality . Integrated delivery system research network: Fact sheet. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Available: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/idsrn.htm2008;[Accessed December 2, 2008]
  5. JCAHO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) . Available: http://www.jointcommission.org2008;[Accessed December 2, 2008]
  6. The Leap-Frog Group. Available: http://www.leapfroggroup.org2008;[Accessed December 2, 2008]
  7. The National Quality Forum: Safe practices for better healthcare. Available: http://www.nationalqualityforum.org[Accessed December 2, 2008]
  8. National Patient Safety Foundations. Available: http://www.nspf.org[Accessed December 2, 2008]
  9. Institute for Safe Medication Practices . Medication safety tools and resources. Available: http://www.ismp.org[Accessed December 2, 2008]

PII: S1527-3369(08)00173-6

doi:10.1053/j.nainr.2008.12.011

Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews
Volume 9, Issue 1 , Page 1, March 2009

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