title: A quality improvement approach to optimizing medication use in the neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: Despite many years of heavy use in premature and critically ill newborns, surprisingly few medications have been rigorously tested in neonatal multicenter randomized clinical trials. Little is known about the pharmacology of these drugs at various birth weights, gestational ages, and chronologic ages. This article describes a quality improvement approach to evaluating and improving neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) medication use, with an emphasis on adaptation of drug use to the specific clinical NICU context and use of system-based changes to minimize harm and maximize clinical benefit.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Quality Improvement MEDNAX Services/Pediatrix Medical Group/American Anesthesiology, 1301 Concord Terrace, Sunrise, FL 33323, USA. Dan_Ellsbury@pediatrix.com
authors.forename: Dan L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ellsbury
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ursprung
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009359:Neonatology / Q000592:standards*; D061214:Patient Safety; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058996:Quality Improvement
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations