Sedation Holidays: Why They Should Be Implemented
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Purpose: To discuss both the importance of implementing sedation holidays for ventilated patients receiving continuous sedation and evidence supporting the practice. To explore tools that assist the monitoring of sedation levels of those receiving sedation holidays. Data sources: A review of the current literature utilizing search engines from CINAHL, Proquest, and professional nursing journal websites referencing sedation holidays (also known as sedation stops, daily interruptions and sedation holds). Literature, both supporting and controversial to, sedation holidays, along with common complications of patients on ventilators is explored. Tools for assessing patients' level of sedation during continuous infusion of sedation agents are also evaluated. Conclusions: Some studies have shown preference for bolus medications, instead of continuous drip medication to prevent over-sedation. A sedation holiday is the practice\nof turning off continuous sedation once every 24-hour period (or once a day). This allows for a more accurate nursing assessment of the patient's neurological and respiratory status. The development of assessment tools for levels of sedation and implementation of sedation holidays, patients are shown to have decreased length-of-stay on the ventilator, (Kress et ai., 2000).
Author: Alissa Noel Ralston
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1953147817