Because of the weight-based dosing regimens often used in pediatric patients, endless individualized doses can increase the risk of error, impair workflow in the dispensing process, and minimize the ability to use technology such as automated dispensing cabinets. In your daily review of patient medication profiles, you have identified that several prednisolone 15 mg/5 mL oral suspension individualized doses are being dispensed, many of which may be difficult to accurately measure with the available oral syringes. Which process would best improve the medication use process for prednisolone 15 mg/5 mL?
a. Develop a standardized dosing nomogram and build it into the computerized physician order entry
(CPOE) system such that doses are automatically converted to a limited number of doses.
b. Round all doses to either whole or 0.5-mL doses when orders are verified so that prepackaged products of 3 and 1.5 mg can be used for patient-specific doses.
c. Educate the order verification pharmacists to contact prescribers to have the doses rounded.
d. Educate the medical staff on the concentration of the formulary prednisolone liquid.