Pediatric Otitis Media: To Treat or Not to Treat with Antibiotics
Jill F. Kilanowski, PhD, RN, APRN, CPNP, FAAN, Katherine Young, MS, RN, FNP
This article will provide nurses with information on how to better care for children with AOM.
Course Details
Overview
A bacterial or viral infection of the middle ear, acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common childhood infection in the United States for which antibiotics are prescribed. It’s also the leading reason for pediatric healthcare visits. Antibiotics are prescribed for AOM more often than for any other childhood illness, but many pediatric providers aren’t sure if that's the right thing to do. In fact, research shows that more than 80% of AOM cases resolve without treatment.
This article will provide nurses with information on how to better care for children with AOM.
Key Learning Outcomes
- State how pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) is diagnosed.
- Discuss the treatment of pediatric AOM.
- Describe the educational needs of parents whose children have AOM.
Presented by
Jill F. Kilanowski
PhD, RN, APRN, CPNP, FAAN
Kilanowski is an associate dean in the graduate nursing program at Mount Carmel College of Nursing.
Katherine Young
MS, RN, FNP
Young is a family nurse practitioner in the Stroke Prevention Clinic at Riverside Methodist Hospital.