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Dosing Safely

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Nearly 1/3 of pediatric emergency medication are dosed incorrectly. Calculating weight, dose and volume is difficult, especially while under stress. Here are some ways to improve your dosing accuracy when treating a pediatric patient. 

Kilograms Only      

Ensuring your agency uses kilograms only

  • Weigh/measure in kilograms only

    • Lock your ED scale in kg

    • Use weight estimate resources like length-based tapes that use kilograms only

    • Keep a conversion chart handy at all times for convenient access when needed     

  • Communicate in kilograms
       Include yourself, colleagues, patient and family

  • Set EMR to kilogram weight only 

 

Converting pounds to kilograms 

     To convert from pounds to kilograms, divide the pounds by 2.2

           

              kilograms = pounds/2.2

      Quick conversion chart

 

      

   

 

 

Additional support and content

        Infographic

                 Weight in kg only infographic

        Videos: 

                 https://vimeo.com/827397878 

                 https://vimeo.com/831634589 

Pounds
Kilograms
1
0.45
5
2.26
10
4.53
15
6.81
20
9.09
25
11.36
30
13.63
35
15.90
40
18.18
45
20.45
50
22.73
55
25.00
60
27.27
65
29.55
70
31.82
75
34.09
80
36.36
85
38.64
90
40.91
95
43.18
100
45.45
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