The Administration of Moderate Sedation and the Role of the Radiology Nurse

Abstract

BackgroundModerate sedation administration is an assumed role of the nurse in interventional radiology. There remains limited documentation to define this practice and its relationship to the radiology nurse. The use of moderate sedation is common for patients receiving interventional radiology procedures, and therefore, defining the administrative parameters for this variable will allow for the future study of outcomes for this patient population. The primary aim of this article is to describe moderate sedation parameters in interventional radiology in hospitals offering adult interventional radiology services. Parameters included total case volumes, presence of provider type during interventional radiology cases using moderate sedation, existence of moderate sedation privileges, and the total percentage of moderate sedation administration by provider type. The results of this study are part of a larger nationwide survey that described administratively mediated variables in interventional radiology. MethodsA 26-question survey was developed and sent to a sample of radiologic administrators (n = 510) across the United States. The survey was developed using the Minnick and Roberts Outcomes Production Model, which identifies the relationship among essential health services concepts and their influence on patient outcomes. Recipients could answer via paper survey or by electronic link. Completion of the survey constituted consent. ResultsA total of 82 individuals responded to the survey (response rate = 16.8%). Respondents reported a median value of 2656.5 (n = 74, IQR: 1175.0, 5833.0) interventional radiology cases completed in the last year and a median value of 1500 patients receiving moderate sedation (n = 82, IQR: 600.0, 2725.0). Respondents reported that the registered nurse was responsible for a median of 90.0% of the sedation administered for adult patients (IQR: 80.0, 98.0). ConclusionsBased on the results of the survey, it is determined that moderate sedation is primarily administered by the registered nurse in interventional radiology. Future studies can include relational designs that focus on aspects of the registered nurse as a highly influential factor in moderate sedation patient outcomes.