Would you take your dc out of the nursery for this?

[Racheall195]

My DD had tonsillitis and was given antibiotics. She was feeling better in herself so went back to nursery but still was on her course of antibiotics.

A staff member accidentally gave her 10ml more of the phenoxymethylpenicillin that she was meant to have. She had 15ml instead of the 5.

Yes a triple dose is 100% avoidable with correct checks in place

Yes I think I would.

They are supposed to be checked and witnessed before being signed off and given to the child. Even as a temp I used to get asked to check a dose that had been measured out by the room leader and sign to say I had. So I’d want to know how exactly how that had happened. I wouldn’t automatically pull out but I’d need satisfactory answers.

It depends. If they spotted the error straight away, were transparent with you, and talked about how they'd learnt from it and what new system they'd put in place instead - no. If they didn't notice, didn't tell you, and didn't give a shit - yes.

I think it'd depend on how long DC had been at the nursery and how happy I was with them generally, how they dealt with the mistake and how much I needed the childcare.

Had you provided the medication in the original box with the prescription label and dosing instructions?

Assuming yes, I would probably consider removing them.

I actually work in a secondary school medical room and can't fathom how anyone with common sense, let alone administration of medicines training could thing a pre-schoolers dose would be 15ml.

It's not actually an easy mistake to make if policy and procedure is followed. It would certainly make me question whether any of their other policies were worth the paper they were written on (or the laptop they were typed on)

No, I wouldn’t. It’s a serious mistake, but one they wouldn’t make again because I wouldn’t send medicine in again. I would, however, want to know what they were planning to do to change their policies and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

How did this even happen? It usually needs to be witnessed and signed off by 2 members of staff.

If I was otherwise happy with the nursery I wouldn’t pull them out because of it.

What did they say to you when you picked her up? What was their attitude to the error?

I’m pretty sure they’re supposed to self report themselves to ofsted for something like this? I may be completely wrong here so wise MNetters correct me. But if you feel they did all of this and adequately reported it to you and got you to check with 111 etc that she’s ok I would leave her in but watch them like a hawk for the foreseeable

Yes, I would remove them. No one that works with children could assume a 15ml dose was normal. It doesn't just show a lack of policy and procedure, it shows a lack of common sense.

I could understand the other way round though, giving 5ml instead of 15ml because 5ml is a pretty standard dose.

This.

It’s a strange one, presumably they’d have had to fill a standard 5ml syringe 3x? And not question that or check it at any point? Even the calpol dose is only 2x 5ml for 4-5 years. You’d think anyone with even minimal experience of small children or in an early years setting would find that odd.

I would let Ofsted know, if they haven't themselves which the should

This needs reporting and paperwork

It’s a school nursery. They had a TA covering the nursery TA who has been off. This TA is usually in the with the juniors. Apparently it was a mistake with the cap (didn’t come with a syringe, it has a cap with the ‘ml’ on. She got confused with it apparently and didn’t check it with another staff member. The school called straight away and asked me to pick her up and be seen by a medical professional to make sure she was ok

What did the medical professional say?

In that case no. A mistake was made, protocol following that was presumably as it was, they called you and issued advice. I would just ensure that changes to practice have been tightened up on. I hope your LO is ok

Yeah I agree the no syringe is a bit different. I’m sure the TA will have some sort of disciplinary over this.
I think they should still report themselves so you can query that.

That does make a difference to policy too- the dosage instructions should still have been checked (which I think you sre saying it was, and the mistake was in measuring it out? So still a common sense issue if she didn't realise she was pouring much more than a teaspoon!) but it's less likely a second person is required to confirm it.

I have never seen an antibiotic (or any paediatric prescription medicine) where it's just poured into the bottle cap. That's not remotely accurate enough at the best of times. And if it's a cap that holds up to 15ml, it's going to be ridiculously easy to pour too much.

Did the bottle really come without a syringe or spoon, for a nursery aged child?

Yep I would.

Humans do make mistakes, sounds like they reacted honestly though.
A cap doesn't sound like a very easy way to dose medicine??

Does your DD actually need to be given the meds at school? Is it 3 times a day - I would just do it at home.

Absolutely ridiculous they should absolutely be checking every single instruction when it comes to medicine. At least it was the right child (this time.) I would put in an official complaint see how they respond. But possibly yes if you lose trust your not wrong to move her. I still read the Calpol bottle after 5 kids just to check.

I still don’t get it, those caps are tiny, I’ve never seen one that can comfortably hold 15ml at once, it’d be near overflowing and then surely you’d check it was the right amount?