This table reviews nursing interventions for various complications of sedation. | Complication | Nursing interventions |
|---|
| Airway obstruction or respiratory depression | - Reposition the patient’s head.
- Suction the patient.
- Insert an oral airway.
- Tell the patient to take a deep breath.
- Stimulate the patient by rubbing the arms or legs.
- Administer oxygen.
- Manually ventilate the patient with a bag-valve mask device.
| | Oversedation | - Maintain circulation, airway, and breathing.
- Have drugs to reverse sedation (such as naloxone for opiates or flumazenil for benzodiazepines) immediately available and administer, as ordered, following safe medication practices, if the patient is too deeply sedated. 11,12,13,14
- Monitor respiratory status until stable.
| | Cardiac arrhythmias | - Note baseline heart rate and rhythm.
- Obtain an apical pulse for 1 minute.
- Examine electrocardiogram patterns if indicated.
- Ensure that the patient has a patent airway.
- Monitor oxygen saturation levels.
- Administer oxygen, as ordered.
- Administer fluids and antiarrhythmic drugs as ordered following safe medication practices. 11,12,13,14
| | Hypotension | - Investigate possible causes.
- Support respiratory status.
- Administer fluids and vasopressors as ordered following safe medication practices. 11,12,13,14
| | Hypertension | - Administer additional sedation or analgesia as ordered following safe medication practices. 11,12,13,14
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Troubleshooting Responding to complications of sedation