NHS Borders clinical guidelines
- A prescriber should prescribe the medications included in the policy by entering on the Medicine Chart ‘CAMHS Symptomatic Relief Policy’ in the As Required Section. The entry should be signed and dated in the normal manner. Or on the mental health medicine charts the prescriber is required to sign the “symptomatic relief policy” box on the as required section of medicines, annotate ‘CAMHS’ on the entry, date it and add any appropriate exclusions.
- The prescriber may exclude any of the items which in their judgement would not be appropriate, e.g. “CAMHS Symptomatic Relief Policy except for Paracetamol tablets”.
- The nurse or midwife must record administration on the administration part of the Medicine Chart by entering the letter of the medicine and the amount given.
- The dose(s) administered must not exceed the maximum stated on the CSRP. If further treatment is required a prescriber must be contacted.
- Use of the CSRP must be reviewed weekly by the prescriber and/or clinical pharmacist and appropriate adjustment to the Medicine Chart made.
- This policy excludes patients who have a purple “end of life” care drug chart, as they have in place a comprehensive “When Required” medication section and any patients 18 years or older.
Symptomatic Relief Policy (SRP) in CAMHS (<18 years) Inpatients on Huntlyburn Ward ONLY
Warning
Objectives
To enable nursing staff to administer selected ‘when required’ medications to patients admitted as inpatients under CAMHS.
The policy is in place to ensure that nursing (and midwifery) staff (given the provisos in No 3 below) can supply appropriate ‘when required’ medications in the interests of patient comfort. The eight medications included in the CSRP are detailed in the Table of Medications Permitted Under Policy and Associated Codes for Kardexes.
.
| Code | Drug | Indication | Dose | Maximum Dose Allowed | Contraindications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Paracetamol | Pain |
By MOUTH Child 6–7 years 240–250 mg, every 4–6 hours; maximum 4 doses per day. Child 8–9 years 360–375 mg, every 4–6 hours; maximum 4 doses per day. Child 10–11 years 480–500 mg, every 4–6 hours; maximum 4 doses per day. Child 12–15 years 480–750 mg, every 4–6 hours; maximum 4 doses per day. Child 16–17 years 0.5–1 g, every 4–6 hours; maximum 4 doses per day. Available as 120mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml liquids. Tablets, as 500mg, are also available if tolerated, and soluble or effervescent tablets can be ordered from Pharmacy. |
Maximum 4 doses per day. |
|
| B | Senna | Constipation |
By mouth using tablets Child 6–17 years 7.5–15 mg once daily, to be adjusted according to response. By mouth using syrup Child 4–17 years 3.75–15 mg once daily, to be adjusted according to response. Tablets are available as 7.5 mg strength and liquid is available as 7.5 mg/5 ml strength. |
15 mg in 24 hours |
|
| F | Peptac | Dyspepsia | Up to 10 ml may be given at any one time | 4 doses (40 ml) in 24 hours | |
| G |
Liquid Paraffin 50% White Soft Paraffin 50% |
Emollient |
Apply as required |
No maximum |
|
| J | Cetirizine | Hayfever |
Child 6–11 years 5 mg twice daily. Child 12–17 years 10 mg once daily. Available as either 10 mg tablets or 1 mg/ml liquid. |
1 dose in 24 hours |
|