title: The validation and inter-rater reliability of the Serbian translation of the Richmond agitation and sedation scale in post anesthesia care unit patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Targeted light sedation is recommended because it shortens the time of mechanical ventilation and the length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU). However, there is no validated scale for sedation and agitation in ICU in the Serbian speaking area. The aim of the current study was to validate, verify the reliability and enable the application of the Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (RASS) in the Serbian speaking area.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective cohort study, RASS was applied to 301 adult patients hospitalized in surgical ICUs by two different research team members. We tested RASS for inter-rater reliability by the correlation between them. The scale was validated by comparison to Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores which was applied by the third investigator. Interrater agreement was measured using weighted kappa (k) and for correlation Spearman's test was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inter-rater reliability of the scale was high (k ˃0.7). The degree of correlation between the RASS and the GCS during all five days of observation was high (˃0.7 for both investigators, the fifth day). In all the cases, Spearman's correlation coefficient was highly significant (p ˂0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Serbian translation of the RASS is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of the levels of sedation and agitation with patients in ICU. Hippokratia 2016, 20(1): 50-54.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Emergency Department, Belgrade,Serbia.
authors.forename: Karlicic
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stasevic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Emergency Department, Belgrade,Serbia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stasevic
authors.affiliation: University Clinic for Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jankovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Emergency Department, Belgrade,Serbia; Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dejanovic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Djukic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Emergency Department, Belgrade,Serbia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dutina
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Emergency Department, Belgrade,Serbia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grbic
keywords: Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale; intensive care unit; inter-rater reliability; validity