Fundamentals of Pharmacology for Children's Nurses

True, meaningful learning is not just about remembering endless facts and recalling them – whilst this is important, the application of that learning then completes the circle. Adapting your learning to respond to the people you offer care and support to as well adding to it as you progress in your career: this is the crux of lifelong learning. Pharmacological interventions are always developing and new drugs being introduced to the market, and therefore as new discoveries are made and as new information emerges the nurse is required to ensure that they are on top of this.

The 19 chapters within this introductory text will go some way to helping prepare future nurses and other healthcare workers as they work towards registration with statutory professional bodies such as the NMC and the Health and Care Professions Council.

In this text we are using the term ‘children’ to refer collectively to ‘children and young people’ and ‘family’ relates to the significant adults who are involved in the child’s life, such as parents, carers or guardians.

The term ‘registered nurse’ includes those on the NMC register who are Nursing Associates. Nursing Associate is a role introduced within the England nursing team, working with healthcare support workers and registered nurses to deliver care for patients and the public working across the four fields of nursing.

When we refer to ‘students’, these include students of nursing from all fields of nursing. We also include other students who are learning to become members of a regulated health and social care profession who may be engaged with medications and medicines management.

We sincerely hope you enjoy using this text as you strive to improve care for children, young people and their families across a variety of care settings. The responsibilities of becoming a registered practitioner bring with them many obligations, but they also brings with them your opportunity to make a difference and to contribute to the health and well‐being of individuals, communities and nations.

1 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018a). Future Nurse: Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses. www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/education‐standards/future‐nurse‐proficiencies.pdf(accessed August 2020).

2 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018b). Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associates. www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/education‐standards/nursing‐associates‐proficiency‐standards.pdf(accessed August 2020).

3 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018c). The Code. Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour for Nurses, Midwives and Nursing Associates. www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/nmc‐publications/nmc‐code.pdf(accessed August 2020).

We would like to thank the contributors who, during a COVID‐19 pandemic, remained steadfast in their commitment to providing chapters for this text.

Ian would like to thank his partner Jussi Lahtinen for his support, and his friend Mrs Frances Cohen who, for many, many years, has encouraged and supported him.

Peter would like to thank Louise, Emme and Elliot, his Mam and Dad and colleagues past and present for their priceless support.

Prefix:A prefix is positioned at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. ‘Pre’ means ‘before’. Prefixes may also indicate a location, number or time.

Suffix:The ending part of a word that changes the meaning of the word.