Cardioversion, shoulder or hip reduction, manipulating unstable fractures - in many cases these procedures would be distressing and inhumane without sedation. It's a common thing to do in the ED, and most of us are quite comfortable with the procedure. Like everything, though, there's always room for improvement.

 

The paper below is the most up-to-date guidance on unscheduled sedation, and it has several important tips and recommendations - well worth 2 minutes of your time!

 

The paper

 

Green SM, Roback MG, Krauss BS, et al. Unscheduled procedural sedation: a multidisciplinary consensus practice guideline. Ann Emerg Med 2019;73:51-65

 

This is a multidisciplinary consensus guideline on procedural sedation, published in the USA three months ago. It is in fact extremely multidisciplinary, with contribution or endorsement from Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, Cardiology, Paediatrics, Radiology, Endoscopy, Maxillofacial, Toxicology, Academics, trainees and nurses. It details some evidence-based best practice for sedating patients in the Emergency Department.