5 The Broselow method, which provides a weight estimation based on length as measured using the Broselow tape, is the most commonly used length-based tape. Many tools have been developed to assist with pediatric weight estimation, including age-based formulas, length-based tapes, paperboard dosing wheels, and electronic applications. However, in prehospital care, obtaining reliable weight measurements is not straightforward it is estimated that approximately 20% of out-of-hospital pediatric weight estimates are not accurate. As pediatric medication dosing is predominantly weight-based, accurate assessment is essential. 1 Many of the complications inherent to pediatric medication dosing are potentiated by the unpredictable nature of the prehospital setting. Pediatric medication errors have been attributed to a number of causes, including weight-based dosing and the increased number of calculations required for correct dosing and administration. 2– 4 These errors are estimated to affect over 21,000 US children under the age of 11 each year. 1 Medication errors have been shown to occur more frequently in the emergency department (ED), and error rates rise even further in the prehospital setting to just under 35% for all medications and over 60% for epinephrine. In the pediatric in-patient setting, Kaushal, et al reported an error rate of approximately 55 errors for every 100 admissions, the majority (28%) being dosing errors, and a potential adverse drug event rate of 10/100 admissions. Medication errors in the pediatric patient population are quite prevalent.

Broselow tape 2017 pdf