Intercollegiate Working Party of the UK Academy of Medical Royal Colleges—summary of safe sedation practice106
| Domain | Safe practice |
|---|---|
| Patient assessment | ‘Checklist’ identification of sedation risk factors prior to procedure. Instructions on activities subsequent to procedure provided |
| Level of sedation | Sedation provided only to the level of ‘conscious’ sedation, in which verbal contact is possible |
| Intravenous sedation | Secure venous access mandatory Specific antagonist drugs should be to hand (see appendix 8) When combination sedation used, opioids should be given first, and caution should be taken to avoid oversedation |
| Monitoring | Defined professionals should have responsibility for monitoring patient safety and making a written record. Pulse oximeter monitoring should be continued until discharge from unit. Consider monitoring blood pressure and ECG in higher risk patients |
| Oxygen therapy | Nasal cannula and facial mask oxygen delivery should be available |
| Facilities | Patient trolley should be capable of being tipped head down Resuscitation equipment should be immediately available |