A nurse is working in a newborn special care unit that has numerous premature infants. She recently transferred to this unit from an adult intensive care unit

Question

The nurse is very cautious in administering medications because premature newborns are especially vulnerable to medication errors. Why is this true? a. Premature infants excrete urine more quickly than older infants.
b. Premature infants metabolize medications more quickly than older children.
c. Premature infants require more frequent dosing to achieve desired effects.
d. Premature infants have less mature livers and kidneys.

Answer 1

D
A child's age, weight, and maturity of body systems affect the ability to metabolize and excrete medications. For example, premature infants have underdeveloped livers and kidneys, which makes them especially susceptible to the harmful effects of medications. As children develop out of the newborn period, they metabolize medications quicker, resulting in the need for more fre-quent dosing of medications to achieve the medication's desired effect.