Click any department card to explore
standardized clinical overviews and
therapeutic pharmacology indices.
Medicine availability and indications vary according to hospital protocols, patient population, and national guidelines. Always administer medicines under physician supervision and institutional policy.
Inpatient Department
The Emergency Department (ED), also called the Casualty Department, is the hospital unit that provides immediate medical care to patients with serious, life-threatening, or urgent health conditions. It operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is designed to stabilize patients before they are discharged, admitted to the hospital, or transferred for specialized treatment.
The ED is the first point of care for patients who require urgent medical attention. Its primary goals are to:
When a patient arrives:
40 commonly used medicines and their uses
Note: The exact medicines stocked in an ED or crash cart vary by hospital protocols, patient population (adult vs pediatric), and local/national guidelines. Their use should always follow the prescribing physician's orders and institutional policies.
The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a specialized critical care department that provides 24-hour intensive monitoring, advanced life support, and specialized medical treatment for critically ill or seriously injured infants, children, and adolescents. It is equipped with advanced medical technology and staffed by healthcare professionals specially trained in pediatric critical care.
Unlike a general pediatric ward, the PICU is designed for children who require continuous observation, life-support systems, or complex medical interventions due to severe illness, trauma, or major surgery.
The primary purpose of the PICU is to:
Children are not simply small adults. Their:
are significantly different from adults.
The PICU is specially designed to meet these unique pediatric needs using pediatric-specific equipment, medication dosages, and treatment protocols.
Patients admitted to the PICU usually have life-threatening or potentially life-threatening conditions. Common reasons include:
Severe pneumonia, Acute respiratory distress, Severe asthma attack, Respiratory failure, Bronchiolitis requiring ventilation
Congenital heart disease, Heart failure, Cardiac arrhythmias, Cardiogenic shock, Post-cardiac surgery care
Status epilepticus, Severe head injury, Meningitis, Encephalitis, Raised intracranial pressure, Coma
Septic shock, Severe sepsis, Multi-organ infection, Severe dengue with shock, Severe malaria (where applicable)
Road traffic accidents, Multiple fractures, Chest/Abdominal trauma, Burns, Near drowning, Post-major pediatric surgery, Neurosurgery, Organ transplant
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), Severe dehydration, Electrolyte imbalance, Inborn errors of metabolism, Drug overdose, Chemical poisoning, Snake bites
Infants (excluding most neonatal ICU patients), Toddlers, Preschool children, School-age children, Adolescents. (Exact age range may vary).
Usually located near: Emergency Department (ED), Pediatric Ward, Operation Theatre (OT), Radiology, Blood Bank, Laboratory, Pharmacy.
Doctors: Pediatric Intensivists, Pediatricians, Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, Cardiologists, Neurologists.
Nursing: Pediatric ICU Nurses, Critical Care Nurses.
Pharmacy: Clinical & Hospital Pharmacists.
Allied: Respiratory/Physiotherapists, Dietitians, Psychologists, Lab/Radiology Technologists.
Equipment: Mechanical ventilators, Cardiac/Multi-parameter monitors, Infusion/Syringe pumps, Defibrillators, HFNC, CPAP/BiPAP, Blood gas analyzer, Emergency crash cart.
Monitoring: Heart rate, BP, Respiratory rate, SpO₂, Temperature, Urine output, Neurological status (GCS), Blood glucose, Fluids, Electrolytes.
Endotracheal intubation, Mechanical ventilation, Central venous/Arterial line placement, Lumbar puncture, Chest tube management, CPR, Defibrillation, Sedation.
Infection Control: Hand hygiene, PPE, sterile technique, care bundles, safe waste disposal, isolation precautions.
Safety: Verify identity, use weight-based calculations, double-check high-alert meds, monitor infusion pumps, prevent falls, communicate deterioration.
Transfer Out: Vital signs stable, respiratory improved, ventilation not required, organ function recovered.
Key Learning: Children require age-specific care & dosing. Weight-based calculations are critical. Early recognition, strict infection control, and teamwork are fundamental.
Commonly used medicines for critically ill infants and children. Dosing is calculated carefully by weight.
| No. | Medicine (Generic Name) | Common Use in PICU |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ampicillin | Neonatal sepsis, bacterial infections |
| 2 | Cefotaxime | Neonatal meningitis, sepsis |
| 3 | Ceftriaxone | Severe bacterial infections (in appropriate age groups) |
| 4 | Piperacillin + Tazobactam | Severe hospital-acquired infections |
| 5 | Meropenem | Resistant bacterial infections |
| 6 | Vancomycin | MRSA and serious Gram-positive infections |
| 7 | Amikacin | Gram-negative bacterial infections |
| 8 | Gentamicin | Neonatal sepsis |
| 9 | Metronidazole | Anaerobic infections |
| 10 | Fluconazole | Systemic fungal infections |
| 11 | Acyclovir | Neonatal herpes, HSV encephalitis |
| 12 | Paracetamol | Fever and pain |
| 13 | Morphine | Severe pain, ventilated patients |
| 14 | Fentanyl | Analgesia during ventilation |
| 15 | Midazolam | Sedation, seizure control |
| 16 | Ketamine | Sedation, emergency procedures |
| 17 | Diazepam | Acute seizures |
| 18 | Lorazepam | Status epilepticus |
| 19 | Levetiracetam | Seizures |
| 20 | Phenobarbital | Neonatal seizures |
| 21 | Phenytoin | Status epilepticus |
| 22 | Adrenaline (Epinephrine) | Cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis |
| 23 | Noradrenaline (Norepinephrine) | Septic shock |
| 24 | Dopamine | Hypotension, shock |
| 25 | Dobutamine | Heart failure, cardiogenic shock |
| 26 | Milrinone | Low cardiac output after cardiac surgery |
| 27 | Furosemide | Pulmonary edema, fluid overload |
| 28 | Hydrocortisone | Adrenal insufficiency, septic shock |
| 29 | Dexamethasone | Airway edema, cerebral edema |
| 30 | Salbutamol Nebules | Acute asthma, wheezing |
| 31 | Ipratropium Nebules | Severe bronchospasm |
| 32 | Magnesium Sulfate | Severe asthma |
| 33 | Calcium Gluconate | Hypocalcemia, hyperkalemia |
| 34 | Sodium Bicarbonate | Severe metabolic acidosis (selected cases) |
| 35 | Regular Human Insulin | Hyperglycemia, DKA |
| 36 | Dextrose 10% | Neonatal hypoglycemia |
| 37 | Normal Saline (0.9%) | Fluid resuscitation |
| 38 | Ringer's Lactate | Shock and dehydration |
| 39 | Ondansetron | Nausea and vomiting |
| 40 | Pantoprazole | Stress ulcer prophylaxis |
40 More Medicines Commonly Found in PICU
| No. | Medicine | Dosage Form | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cefixime | Dry Syrup | Respiratory & urinary infections |
| 2 | Cefpodoxime | Dry Syrup | Bacterial infections |
| 3 | Amoxicillin + Clavulanate | Dry Syrup | Ear, chest, skin infections |
| 4 | Azithromycin | Suspension | Pneumonia, throat infections |
| 5 | Clarithromycin | Suspension | Respiratory infections |
| 6 | Clindamycin | Injection/Capsule | Skin & soft tissue infections |
| 7 | Linezolid | Injection/Suspension | Resistant bacterial infections |
| 8 | Colistin | Injection | MDR Gram-negative infections |
| 9 | Caspofungin | Injection | Invasive fungal infections |
| 10 | Micafungin | Injection | Candidemia |
| 11 | Oseltamivir | Suspension/Capsule | Influenza |
| 12 | Albendazole | Suspension/Tablet | Worm infestation |
| 13 | Zinc Sulfate | Syrup/Tablet | Diarrhea, zinc deficiency |
| 14 | ORS | Sachet | Dehydration |
| 15 | Lactulose | Syrup | Constipation |
| 16 | Domperidone | Syrup | Vomiting |
| 17 | Probiotic (Bacillus clausii) | Oral Suspension | Antibiotic-associated diarrhea |
| 18 | Racecadotril | Sachet | Acute diarrhea |
| 19 | Vitamin D3 | Oral Drops | Vitamin D deficiency |
| 20 | Multivitamin | Drops/Syrup | Nutritional support |
| 21 | Iron (Ferrous Sulfate) | Syrup | Iron deficiency anemia |
| 22 | Folic Acid | Syrup/Tablet | Folate deficiency |
| 23 | Vitamin K | Injection | Bleeding prevention in newborns |
| 24 | Calcium Carbonate | Syrup | Calcium deficiency |
| 25 | Levothyroxine | Tablet | Congenital hypothyroidism |
| 26 | Carbamazepine | Syrup/Tablet | Epilepsy |
| 27 | Sodium Valproate | Syrup | Seizures |
| 28 | Clobazam | Tablet/Suspension | Epilepsy |
| 29 | Budesonide | Nebulizer Respules | Asthma |
| 30 | Acetylcysteine | Nebulizer Solution | Thick mucus |
| 31 | Hypertonic Saline (3%) | Nebulizer Solution | Bronchiolitis |
| 32 | Beclomethasone | Inhaler | Asthma maintenance |
| 33 | Montelukast | Granules/Chew. Tab | Asthma, allergies |
| 34 | Cetirizine | Syrup | Allergy |
| 35 | Levocetirizine | Syrup | Allergic rhinitis |
| 36 | Chlorpheniramine | Syrup | Allergy |
| 37 | Mupirocin | Ointment | Skin infection |
| 38 | Fusidic Acid | Cream | Skin infection |
| 39 | Clotrimazole | Cream | Fungal skin infection |
| 40 | Zinc Oxide | Cream | Diaper rash |
Ampicillin, Cefotaxime, Ceftriaxone, Piperacillin+Tazobactam, Meropenem, Vancomycin, Amikacin, Gentamicin
Adrenaline, Noradrenaline, Dopamine, Dobutamine, Milrinone
Diazepam, Lorazepam, Phenobarbital, Levetiracetam, Phenytoin
Midazolam, Fentanyl, Morphine, Ketamine
Salbutamol, Ipratropium, Magnesium Sulfate
NS, RL, Dextrose 10%, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Bicarb, Hydrocortisone, Dexamethasone
Ceftriaxone, Vancomycin, Meropenem, Adrenaline, Midazolam, Fentanyl, Vitamin K
Paracetamol, Lactulose, Cetirizine, Cefixime, Cefpodoxime, Amoxicillin+Clavulanate, Azithromycin
Salbutamol, Budesonide, Ipratropium, Acetylcysteine, Vitamin D3 Drops, Multivitamin Drops
Levothyroxine, Albendazole, Mupirocin, Clotrimazole, Fusidic Acid, Zinc Oxide