Refining guidelines for the care of paediatric perioperative patients in a rural health care facility

When reviewing and developing surgical guidelines, health care facilities need to take into account the unique challenges presented by the paediatric patient. Challenges arise from anatomical, physiological, psychological and developmental differences. An increase in paediatric patients presenting to the perioperative unit at Gippsland Southern Health Service has necessitated a review of perioperative guidelines and practices for the care of paediatric patients. The perioperative team at Gippsland Southern Health Service identified the need to improve interventions to reduce preoperative anxiety in both the parent and child. As such, nonpharmacological and, if required, pharmacological interventions were employed to reduce the incidence ofpreoperative anxiety. Additionally, improvements to the paediatric difficult airway box were made. Furthermore, the Paediatric Emergency Medication Book was obtained to reduce the likelihood of medication errors due to the weight-based non-standardised medication doses required by paediatric patients. Lastly, the perioperative team, identified that further education for the care of paediatric patients should be sought and contact was made with the Royal Children’s Hospital Education Outreach Department. This review and changes to the guidelines and practices have increased safe, efficient patient-centred paediatric perioperative care.