POLICY STATEMENT
Issuing Entity: Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.
Description: Procedural sedation also know as conscious sedation is produced by the administration of pharmacological agents administered singly or in combination to induce a state that allows a patient to tolerate unpleasant procedures while maintaining cardiorespiratory function. A patient under procedural sedation has a depressed level of consciousness, but retains the ability to independently and continuously maintain a patent airway and respond appropriately to physical stimulation and/or to verbal command. Procedural sedation may easily progress to deep sedation or the loss of consciousness, because of the unique characteristics of the drugs used, as well as the physical status and drug sensitivities of the individual patient.
Effective Date: July 22, 2005.
Contact Person: Chuck Cumiskey, Nurse Practice Manager, Health Professions Quality Assurance, Department of Health, P.O. Box 47864, Olympia, WA 98504-7864, (360) 236-4725.