Monash Children’s Hospital Resuscitation Committee
Edited by Simon Craig
Melbourne: Monash Children’s Hospital; 2014.
86 pages

Paediatric Emergency Medication Book

This book provides a quick, easy-to-access, weight-based guide to resuscitation of infants and children. It includes medication dosing in resuscitation situations, endotracheal tube size and positioning, and emergency management of seizures, asthma, anaphylaxis and electrolyte disorders. The formatting, content and presentation have been carefully considered to achieve this aim and to make it a valuable resource.

Weight-based guidelines are presented for 2–80 kg, in a clear colour-coded format. The information for each weight is presented over two pages. It provides everything you need in a resuscitation setting at a glance, including tables for resuscitation, endotracheal tube size, and induction and paralytic drugs.

Information on drugs used in severe asthma, status epilepticus and electrolyte abnormalities is also included. Layout is the same irrespective of the weight selected which helps readers to become familiar with this resource. Infusion guidelines are also provided, although many institutions may have these preprogrammed in their infusion pumps.

The book is spiral bound with sturdy laminated pages, making it waterproof and durable. It is easy to turn to the weight needed and access the information required in a timely fashion. The first three pages contain Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) algorithms for basic and advanced life support, and status epilepticus.

This is an excellent resource for medical and nursing staff working with sick infants and children, be that frequently or occasionally, in an inpatient ward setting, mixed emergency department or paediatric emergency department. It provides clear, easily accessible important information in a visually appealing format. The section on electrolyte abnormalities is particularly useful. It could also be used as a resource for education and specifically simulation – APLS Australia have already adopted it for this use.

Fiona Thomson

Paediatric emergency physician, Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, Brisbane

Senior lecturer, University of Queensland, Brisbane