ABSTRACT
The treatment of pain, particularly in infants, is today a public health priority. The mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen, colloquially known as 'gas and air' is an important analgesia for infants for short, painful procedures. Its fast action and almost immediate reversibility when the child stops inhaling facilitates its use and its tolerance. Subject to a medical prescription, it must be administered by a specially trained member of nursing staff.
Subject(s)
Analgesics, Non-Narcotic/therapeutic use , Nitrous Oxide/therapeutic use , Oxygen/therapeutic use , Pain Management/methods , Child, Preschool , Emergency Service, Hospital , Humans , InfantABSTRACT
The vast majority of medicines have been developed for adults. Consequently, the prescribing of medicines for children must take into account their pharmacodynamic characteristics and must be calculated individually according to the degree of prematurity, the age, the weight or body area and the clinical condition. Medication errors are the most common type of medical errors, notably in children, due to dosage errors or prescribtion of inappropriate medicines. The best way to avoid them lies in the use of prescribing software, the involvement of pharmacists in care units, and proper communication between prescribing doctors, caregivers, pharmacists and families.
