A Sedation Course and Curriculum for Operating Room Nurses

The presence of an observer during moderate or deep sedation is recommended by the “Practice Guidelines for Sedation and Analgesia by Non-anesthesiologists” of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). The participants in our course engaged in sedation procedures, since nurses and other allied health professionals should be familiar with the concepts, terminology, and practice of sedation. The sedation courses included nurses working in an operating room. We believed that increased understanding of ASA guidelines, risks of upper airway obstructions, procedures for manually securing airways, knowledge of various sedation-related drugs, and simulation training to help coordinate people in the early stages of an emergency will lead to increased sedation safety.