title: Issues and challenges associated with nurse-administered procedural sedation and analgesia in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore issues and challenges associated with nurse-administered procedural sedation and analgesia in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory from the perspectives of senior nurses.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nurses play an important part in managing sedation because the prescription is usually given verbally directly from the cardiologist who is performing the procedure and typically, an anaesthetist is not present.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative exploratory design was employed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews with 23 nurses from 16 cardiac catheterisation laboratories across four states in Australia and also New Zealand were conducted. Data analysis followed the guide developed by Braun and Clark to identify the main themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major themes emerged from analysis regarding the lack of access to anaesthetists, the limitations of sedative medications, the barriers to effective patient monitoring and the impact that the increasing complexity of procedures has on patients' sedation requirements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most critical issue identified in this study is that current guidelines, which are meant to apply regardless of the clinical setting, are not practical for the cardiac catheterisation laboratory due to a lack of access to anaesthetists. Furthermore, this study has demonstrated that nurses hold concerns about the legitimacy of their practice in situations when they are required to perform tasks outside of clinical practice guidelines. To address nurses' concerns, it is proposed that new guidelines could be developed, which address the unique circumstances in which sedation is used in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses need to possess advanced knowledge and skills in monitoring for the adverse effects of sedation. Several challenges impact on nurses' ability to monitor patients during procedural sedation and analgesia. Preprocedural patient education about what to expect from sedation is essential.
authors: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine (QLD), Australian Catholic University, Banyo, Qld, Australia; Cardiac Catheter Theatres, The Wesley Hospital, Auchenflower, Qld, Australia.
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Conway
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Rolley
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Page
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Fulbrook
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia; D001315:Australia; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009520:New Zealand; D009740:Nursing Staff; D036301:Qualitative Research
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
keywords: cardiac catheterisation; cardiovascular; comfort; interviews; qualitative study; sedation