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Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) is a medical scale used to measure the agitation or sedation level of a person. It was developed with efforts of different practitioners, represented by physicians, nurses and pharmacists. [1] [2] The RASS can be used in all hospitalized patients to describe their level of alertness or agitation. [3]
The original scoring system was developed before the invention of pulse oximetry and used the patient's colouration as a surrogate marker of their oxygenation status. A modified Aldrete scoring system was described in 1995 [2] which replaces the assessment of skin colouration with the use of pulse oximetry to measure SpO 2.
Sedation is the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure. Examples of drugs which can be used for sedation include isoflurane, diethyl ether, propofol, etomidate, ketamine, pentobarbital, lorazepam and midazolam. [1]
Procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) is a technique in which a sedating/dissociative medication is given, usually along with an analgesic medication, in order to perform non-surgical procedures on a patient. The overall goal is to induce a decreased level of consciousness while maintaining the patient's ability to breathe on their own.
This level, called moderate sedation/analgesia or conscious sedation, causes a drug induced depression of consciousness during which the patient responds purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied with light physical stimulation. Breathing tubes are not required for this type of anesthesia. This is twilight anesthesia. [2]
In some countries, the papoose board is banned and considered a serious breach of ethical practice. [3] Although the papoose board is discussed as a behavior management technique, it is simply a restraint technique although ethically questionable, thus preventing any behavior from occurring that could be managed with recognized behavioral and anxiety reduction techniques.
Conscious sedation and monitored anesthesia care (MAC) refer to an awareness somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, depending on the degree to which a patient is sedated. Monitored anesthesia care involves titration of local anesthesia along with sedation and analgesia. [18] Awareness/wakefulness does not necessarily imply pain or discomfort.
Inhalation sedation with nitrous oxide/oxygen is a well recognised safe and effective technique. The desirable effect of the procedure is to relax the patient while maintaining verbal contact. Compared to other sedation agents, it causes minimal physiological stress to the patient and risk of loss of consciousness is less likely.