I was a new grad RN the first time I drew up code drugs for a dying child — tiny doses from adult-sized vials, hands shaking, three of us double-checking every syringe before it got pushed.
I still remember the drive home after a different code, when an IO I'd placed in the leg of a pediatric arrest slipped out mid-code. I knew it was a SIDS arrest with a prolonged downtime. I knew the dislodged IO had nothing to do with the outcome. I knew it, but it took me months to actually believe it.
Something about treating a kid in the ED makes me second-guess everything I do. Whether it's ondansetron for a GI bug, prednisolone for croup, or amoxicillin for an ear infection, I always find myself double checking my orders before clicking the sign button. Whether it's a routine medication or a critical infusion, peds dosing isn’t a daily occurrence for many of us. And even if you are working in a dedicated pediatric hospital and are a seasoned veteran, mistakes can and will happen.
Technology in healthcare is one of our greatest tools, but even it can fail. We cannot rely on our digital assets as the only way to access critical information when we need it most. To that end, we have made a series of Hippo EM “badge buddies” to make sure you have the knowledge you need when moments matter. Our latest pediatric version includes essential dosing details for some of the most commonly used medications in peds EM on one side, plus the most essential critical care infusions on the other.
I am staunchly anti-badge bloat. If it's going on my reel, it has to be high-yield, lightweight, and chaos resistant. That was the goal when we set out to make these, and I think we succeeded in giving you something you will actually find useful. Our badge buddies are light, lean, and most importantly, totally free!
So ditch the old badge clutter for something you will actually use, and if you do ever find yourself staring at an oncoming barrage of JCO inspectors looking for your RACE and PASS cards, just do what I do and jump into a patient’s room till they are gone (they can’t follow you in; I am on a 15-year streak).
References:
Grissinger M. Too many abandon the "second victims" of medical errors. P T. 2014;39(9):591-592. PMID: 25210409. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4159062/