Sedation practice in a Scottish teaching hospital emergency department.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a prospective survey in a teaching hospital emergency department to evaluate performance according to safe sedation principles, to establish the demographics of those sedated, and to review the drugs used and doses given to patients in the department. Any adverse events were reviewed for identification of preventable causes.


METHODS
Pre-sedation checklists, peri-procedural observations, and patient notes were reviewed for 101 cases from 4 December 2004 to 3 September 2005. There are departmental guidelines outlining the principles of safe sedation.


RESULTS
Emergency department procedural sedation was performed for a variety of acute conditions in patients aged from 7 to 91 years old. A variety of sedation agents were administered, morphine and midazolam being used most frequently. Drug administration, maximum sedation level, and time to recovery and discharge were recorded. Four adverse events were reported, none of which were clinically significant. Departmental guidelines were followed.


CONCLUSIONS
Emergency department sedation is a safe and effective procedure if appropriately trained practitioners follow the principles of safe sedation.
Duncan
R A
RA
Accident and Emergency, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK. russell.a.duncan@tuht.scot.nhs.uk
Symington
L
L
Thakore
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005215:Fasting; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012606:Scotland
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives