Engaging children in managing their medications in hospital: Does it really matter and is it a possibility?

摘要

Despite ongoing advances in evidence-based practice and dissemination strategies, the management of medications in hospitals remain one of the most serious challenges in health care. For hospitalised children, the management of medications can be considered in relation to processes and outcomes of care. Processes of care comprise the relationships between and among health professionals and children, and the ways in which information is provided as medication activities are undertaken. Outcomes of care involve identifying medication errors that occur in clinical practice, and ensuring children are able to take their medications as prescribed. The idea of engaging children in managing their medications in hospital has rarely been considered as a way forward in improving how medication management is carried out. In this context, engagement refers to 'enabling [children] to gain evidence-based knowledge about their condition, and the proven treatment options for it, to participate in treatment decisions that reflect their preferences, to take an active role in managing their health and treating their health conditions, and to influence health care practices [for managing medications]' (Marshall, 2013, p. 3).