Medication administration in day care centers for children.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency with which children attending day care centers (DCCs) receive medications, what types of medications are administered, whether standardized procedures are used in the dispensing of medications, and whether any self-reported errors occur.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional descriptive survey.

SETTING

DCCs in eastern Iowa licensed by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

PARTICIPANTS

Day care supervisors at DCCs.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Descriptive, self-reported information, including frequency of medication administration on-site, types of medications administered, procedures for storing and dispensing medications, record keeping, and training of staff.

RESULTS

Response rate was 38.9% (82 of 227 mailed surveys were returned completed). On average, 5.5% of children received medications while attending a DCC during a 2-week period. DCCs administered the following medications during the year preceding the survey: antibiotics (86.5% of DCCs reporting having administered), cold medications (85.0%), analgesics (78.0%), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (67.0%). The two most common errors reported were missed dose (55.6% of DCCs reporting having happened) and medication not available for administration (50.6%). All DCCs surveyed reported having written policies for medication administration, but staff at only 50.0% of DCCs received special training on medication administration.

CONCLUSION

Medications are often administered in DCCs, and the types of medications administered in this setting have the potential to pose significant risks if their use is not monitored properly. DCC staff receive little, if any, education regarding proper storage, handling, and administration of medications. Pharmacists should take an active role in providing education to this poorly served group to help reduce risks of medication misadventures.