Advancing Opioid Safety for Children in Hospitals

The provision of medications to paediatric patients involves challenges distinct from those associated with medication administration to adult patients. These challenges arise for all paediatric age groups (infants, children, and youth) in every care setting, from community hospitals to specialty tertiary care facilities. Management of high-alert medications1, such as opioids, poses additional risks. Opioids constitute the medication class most commonly represented in harmful medication incidents in paediatric hospitals.2-4 Since 2006, ISMP Canada has been collaborating with the Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres (CAPHC) to enhance medication safety in paediatrics, with a particular focus on opioids. This bulletin provides an update on a national initiative to improve paediatric opioid safety and introduces national guidelines and associated resources to support hospitals in implementing safe opioid practices in paediatrics.