title: Post-traumatic stress disorder and paralytic agents.
abstract: When a 38-year-old former critical care unit (CCU) nurse became critically ill, she required mechanical ventilation with pancuronium--a paralytic agent--as an adjunct. She also received intravenous morphine and diazepam for analgesia and sedation. Three weeks later, her condition much improved, paralytic agents were discontinued and the nurse was extubated. Familiar with treatment protocols, her caregivers and the environment, she felt comfortable sharing her perceptions of the previous three weeks with her colleagues.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Spencer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010243:Paralysis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D010197:Pancuronium