Yellow Card? Not For Me Thank You

Introduction: Up to 10% of paediatric inpatients experience an adverse drug reaction (ADR) (1). The Yellow Card Scheme for spontaneous reporting of ADRs should play a vital role in successful pharmacovigilance. However, despite its obvious benefits, gross under-reporting is still a major problem; less than 10% of all ADRs are reported (2).

Aim: to evaluate paediatric doctors, nurses and pharmacists knowledge and participation in the Yellow Card scheme.

Methods: Paediatric doctors, nurses and pharmacists were asked face-to-face to complete a questionnaire to assess their knowledge of the Yellow Card Scheme for reporting ADRs. The questionnaire consisted of 12 questions, 11 were multiple-choice answers and one required free text. It aimed to obtain information about staff demographics, their attitudes and knowledge towards ADR reporting and their experience, if any, of reporting using the Yellow Card Scheme. Example questions include: How many ADRs have you reported in the last 12 months? What does the black triangle in the BNFc signify? Which of the following require the completion of a Yellow Card (with a list of 4 scenarios)? Where can you look to find out more information about the Yellow Card? Data was collected from The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales and The Royal Gwent Hospital over a 4 week period in June 2015.

Results: 111 staff members were approached and 100 participated; 57 staff nurses, 2 nurse practitioners, 2 pharmacists, 10 junior doctors, 18 paediatric trainees, 2 GP trainees and 9 paediatric consultants.

Conclusion: Participation and knowledge of the Yellow Card Scheme amongst paediatric healthcare professionals was suboptimal.

(1) Impicciatore, P et al. (2001). Br J of Clin Pharmacol, 52: 77–83

(2) Green, C et al. (2001). Br J of Clin Pharmacol, 51: 81–86