Title: Medication Errors “Common” in Children
Producer: Emily Halevy
Feed: CWKN #383, April 30, 2008
Time: 1:36
SUGGESTED LEAD:  WHEN WE TAKE A CHILD TO THE HOSPITAL FOR AN INJURY OR ILLNESS, HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT A DOCTOR OR NURSE WILL MAKE A MISTAKE, ONE THAT COULD HARM OUR CHILD?  THE AUTHOR OF A NEW STUDY SAYS (QUOTE) “IT’S MORE COMMON THAN PEOPLE BELIEVE.”  CONNECT WITH KIDS HAS THE STORY.
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NATS: Janet reading bottle (:00)
“Place two drops in right ear every two to three hours as needed for pain.”

NARR:  JANET SMITH IS VERY CAREFUL ABOUT GIVING MEDICINE TO HER CHILDREN … FOR GOOD REASON … (:05)

SUPER: Janet Smith, Katelyn’s Mother (:10)
“I thought I had poisoned her.”

NARR: HER DAUGHTER KATELYN WAS PRESCRIBED A COMMON ANTIBIOTIC FOR AN EAR INFECTION WHEN SHE WAS TWO …

SHE TOOK ONE DOSE WHEN HER MOM REALIZED … THE PHARMACY HAD GIVEN HER THE WRONG DRUG! (:10)

SOT: Janet Smith, Katelyn’s Mother (:24)
“I’m looking at it, and I’m about to give it to her, and I notice that it says 1 and ½ teaspoons and I clearly remember the doctor telling me it was 1 teaspoon.  So that caused me to say that something’s not right here, so I’m looking at the label and I realize it’s not our name.”

NARR:  IT TURNS OUT MEDICAL MISTAKES ARE NOT UNCOMMON.

A NEW STUDY IN THE JOURNAL PEDIATRICS LOOKED AT KIDS IN THE HOSPITAL.  THEY FOUND THAT ONE IN FIFTEEN IS HARMED BY MEDICINE ERRORS, OVERDOSES, AND BAD REACTIONS. (:13)

SOT: Julie Wickman, Pharm.D, Pharmacist and Pharmacy Professor (:53)
“I think the average American thinks doctors are infallible, we trust them, and we trust our pharmacist, and both are human, both makes mistakes.”

NARR: NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICINE AND HER KIDS, JANET DOUBLE CHECKS EVERYTHING ... (:05)

SOT: Janet Smith, Katelyn’s Mother (1:08)
“When I get medication, when I get a prescription, I listen very carefully to what the doctor says, I question what the doctor is writing, you know, what it’s for, and when I get the drug home I’m checking the leaflet with the label with what the doctor told me.”

NARR: EXPERTS SAY … BE THOROUGH … BE CAREFUL … KNOW WHAT THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES … AND MAKE SURE THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU GET. (:07)

SOT: Janet Smith, Katelyn’s Mother (1:29)
“I say I trust doctors.  I trust them, but I am also very cautious.”

NARR:  I’M COLLIN SIEDOR FOR CONNECT WITH KIDS. (:03)

SUGGESTED TAG:   THE STUDY FOUND THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE PROBLEMS WERE RELATED TO PAINKILLERS.  FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ONTO WWW.CONNECTWITHKIDS.COM.