Pharmacology Math: Focusing on the Pediatric Client

Some of the differences you will encounter in pharmacology math in Pediatrics relate to:

Critical safety margin
Lack of standardized (unit) dosages
Necessity to calculate safe dosages.
Use of Pediatric infusion pumps.

Most pediatric textbooks address these issues.

Processing numbers and principles of calculating will not change, but the process or clinically realistic problems seen will be different. Terminology you may encounter includes: Buretrol or Volutrol, microtubing, and volumetric infusion pumps. Hopefully, the tutorials will take some of the “mystery out of Peds Math”. Then practice, practice.

Need to perform an "accurate I & O" and the infant does not have a foley?
What to do?

Answer: Weigh the diaper.

Gm and ml: When weighing diapers, the measurement is "grams". When we think about volume of urine output we think "ml". A 'gram' and a 'ml' are equivalent when measuring water. In the clinical setting, however, we use grams and mls as equivalent when measuring urine by diaper weights. It is the best noninvasive method we currently have and is close enough for clinical decision making.
The process is to weigh the diaper on a gram scale, but record the output in 'ml'. (You must account for the weight of a dry diaper the same size you are weighing.)

Index to Peds Show-Me

Safety related to administration methods

Calculating Intake and Output

Calculating Safe Dosages

Mixing powdered medications

Minimal / maximal dilutions

Calculating IV drips in Peds

Administering bolus medications

Managing time when working with a buretrol

Show-Me Index page

Peds Quiz Index page

4/2003

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