Structured sedation programs in the emergency department, hospital and other acute settings: protocol for systematic review of effects and events

Siobhán McCoy, Abel Wakai, Carol Blackburn, Michael Barrett, Adrian Murphy, Maria Brenner, Philip Larkin, Gloria Crispino-O’Connell, Savithiri Ratnapalan, Ronan O’Sullivan

The use of procedural sedation outside the operating theatre has increased in hospital settings and has gained popularity among non-anesthesiologists. Sedative agents used for procedural pain, although effective, also pose significant risks to the patient if used incorrectly. There is currently no universally accepted program of education for practitioners using or introducing procedural sedation into their practice. There is emerging literature identifying structured procedural sedation programs (PSPs) as a method of ensuring a standardized level of competency among staff and reducing risks to the patient. We hypothesize that programs of education for healthcare professionals using procedural sedation outside the operating theatre are beneficial in improving patient care, safety, practitioner competence and reducing adverse event rates.