Delay in diagnosis can lead to incorrect medical treatment, according to recommendation from Nevada Executive Committee to Review the Death of Children The Nevada Executive Committee to Review the Death of Children (the Executive Committee) is recommending that hospitals and drug-testing facilities begin testing for fentanyl as part of their standard drug testing panels.
This recommendation was submitted by the Washoe County Child Death Review Team and adopted by the Executive Committee after discussing the recommendation, researching the current educational material and receiving feedback from subject matter experts. As fentanyl is becoming more prevalent in Nevada, the Executive Committee has seen an increase in the number of children who have suffered a near-fatal or fatal event due to accidental ingestion of this substance. There is a significant delay in determining fentanyl ingestion as a cause of unresponsiveness in children, which leads to incorrect medical treatment, inaccurate assessments and/or ongoing safety issues. Furthermore, an opportunity to provide assistance and/or resources to the individual or family may be lost as a result. By having immediate drug test results, medical providers can make more informed treatment plans and other community providers can make more informed safety decisions and accurate assessments for children and families. In addition, the Executive Committee would like to encourage all hospitals and doctors to become familiar with fentanyl educational materials so that doctors can have a conversation about the dangers of fentanyl use with their clients. Educational material can be found by visiting the following links:
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AuthorThe Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance (HCQC) licenses medical and other health facilities, child care facilities and personnel, and medical laboratories and personnel in Nevada. HCQC also conducts compliance surveys and takes complaints. Archives
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