Abstract
Timely administration of rescue medication for prolonged convulsive seizures lasting more than 5 min is necessary to prevent progression to status epilepticus in children. The Practices in Emergency and Rescue Medication for Epilepsy Managed with Community Administered Therapy (PERFECT™) initiative was set up to gain a better understanding of how prolonged convulsive seizures in children are managed when they occur outside of the hospital. We present the findings from an exploratory telephone survey of 128 healthcare professionals (HCPs) (85 pediatric neurologists and neurologists, 28 community pediatricians, and 15 epilepsy nurses) from six EU countries, conducted as part of the PERFECT™ initiative. Among HCPs, there was greater awareness of local protocols and lesser awareness of national or international guidelines. HCPs were not very aware of how prolonged convulsive seizures were managed outside of the hospital and had few professional links to schools or other settings where these seizures were most likely to occur. Approximately one third believed that lack of confidence and fear of liability were barriers to caregivers administering treatment in schools, as was insufficient training of caregivers in the wider community on the management of prolonged convulsive seizures. Conclusion: Results of this HCP survey have identified several clear gaps that need to be addressed: clearer guidance that spans all settings of care, greater dissemination of such guidelines across the chain of care, more open communication and better links between HCPs and schools, and systematic training of all relevant caregivers on the appropriate management of prolonged convulsive seizures.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 773-779 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | European Journal of Pediatrics |
| Volume | 173 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- Children
- Epilepsy
- Guidelines
- Out of hospital
- Rescue medication
- Seizures
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
The administration of rescue medication to children with prolonged acute convulsive seizures in a non-hospital setting : An exploratory survey of healthcare professionals' perspectives. / Arzimanoglou, Alexis; Lagae, Lieven; Cross, J. Helen; Beghi, Ettore; Mifsud, Janet; Bennett, Christine; Schmidt, Dieter; Wait, Suzanne; Harvey, Gordon.
In: European Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 173, No. 6, 2014, p. 773-779.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The administration of rescue medication to children with prolonged acute convulsive seizures in a non-hospital setting
T2 - An exploratory survey of healthcare professionals' perspectives
AU - Arzimanoglou, Alexis
AU - Lagae, Lieven
AU - Cross, J. Helen
AU - Beghi, Ettore
AU - Mifsud, Janet
AU - Bennett, Christine
AU - Schmidt, Dieter
AU - Wait, Suzanne
AU - Harvey, Gordon
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Timely administration of rescue medication for prolonged convulsive seizures lasting more than 5 min is necessary to prevent progression to status epilepticus in children. The Practices in Emergency and Rescue Medication for Epilepsy Managed with Community Administered Therapy (PERFECT™) initiative was set up to gain a better understanding of how prolonged convulsive seizures in children are managed when they occur outside of the hospital. We present the findings from an exploratory telephone survey of 128 healthcare professionals (HCPs) (85 pediatric neurologists and neurologists, 28 community pediatricians, and 15 epilepsy nurses) from six EU countries, conducted as part of the PERFECT™ initiative. Among HCPs, there was greater awareness of local protocols and lesser awareness of national or international guidelines. HCPs were not very aware of how prolonged convulsive seizures were managed outside of the hospital and had few professional links to schools or other settings where these seizures were most likely to occur. Approximately one third believed that lack of confidence and fear of liability were barriers to caregivers administering treatment in schools, as was insufficient training of caregivers in the wider community on the management of prolonged convulsive seizures. Conclusion: Results of this HCP survey have identified several clear gaps that need to be addressed: clearer guidance that spans all settings of care, greater dissemination of such guidelines across the chain of care, more open communication and better links between HCPs and schools, and systematic training of all relevant caregivers on the appropriate management of prolonged convulsive seizures.
AB - Timely administration of rescue medication for prolonged convulsive seizures lasting more than 5 min is necessary to prevent progression to status epilepticus in children. The Practices in Emergency and Rescue Medication for Epilepsy Managed with Community Administered Therapy (PERFECT™) initiative was set up to gain a better understanding of how prolonged convulsive seizures in children are managed when they occur outside of the hospital. We present the findings from an exploratory telephone survey of 128 healthcare professionals (HCPs) (85 pediatric neurologists and neurologists, 28 community pediatricians, and 15 epilepsy nurses) from six EU countries, conducted as part of the PERFECT™ initiative. Among HCPs, there was greater awareness of local protocols and lesser awareness of national or international guidelines. HCPs were not very aware of how prolonged convulsive seizures were managed outside of the hospital and had few professional links to schools or other settings where these seizures were most likely to occur. Approximately one third believed that lack of confidence and fear of liability were barriers to caregivers administering treatment in schools, as was insufficient training of caregivers in the wider community on the management of prolonged convulsive seizures. Conclusion: Results of this HCP survey have identified several clear gaps that need to be addressed: clearer guidance that spans all settings of care, greater dissemination of such guidelines across the chain of care, more open communication and better links between HCPs and schools, and systematic training of all relevant caregivers on the appropriate management of prolonged convulsive seizures.
KW - Children
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Guidelines
KW - Out of hospital
KW - Rescue medication
KW - Seizures
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903814576&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84903814576&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00431-013-2255-5
DO - 10.1007/s00431-013-2255-5
M3 - Article
VL - 173
SP - 773
EP - 779
JO - European Journal of Pediatrics
JF - European Journal of Pediatrics
SN - 0340-6199
IS - 6
ER -