PEARS Vascular Access and Medication Administration Flashcards

When IV access cannot be rapidly established in a critically ill pediatric patient, what is the preferred alternative vascular access route?

Answer: Intraosseous (IO) access

IO access is the recommended alternative when IV access is unavailable in a pediatric emergency, allowing rapid delivery of fluids and medications.

Which site is most commonly used for intraosseous access in infants and young children?

Answer: Proximal tibia

The proximal tibia is the preferred IO insertion site in infants and young children due to its flat surface and accessible marrow space.

What is the appropriate dose of epinephrine for pediatric cardiac arrest via IV or IO route?

Answer: 0.01 mg/kg (1:10,000 solution)

The standard epinephrine dose for pediatric cardiac arrest is 0.01 mg/kg of the 1:10,000 solution given IV or IO every 3–5 minutes.

A Broselow tape is used during a pediatric emergency primarily to:

Answer: Estimate weight-based medication doses and equipment sizes

The Broselow tape correlates a child's length with estimated weight to provide pre-calculated medication doses and appropriate equipment sizes rapidly.

Which medication is the first-line treatment for symptomatic bradycardia caused by increased vagal tone in a pediatric patient?

Answer: Atropine

Atropine is the first-line agent for symptomatic bradycardia caused by vagal stimulation, blocking parasympathetic effects on the heart.

What is the maximum single dose of atropine recommended in pediatric resuscitation to avoid paradoxical bradycardia?

Answer: 0.5 mg minimum per dose; total cumulative maximum 1 mg in children

A minimum atropine dose of 0.5 mg prevents paradoxical bradycardia from very small doses, with a maximum cumulative dose of 1 mg in children.