Sedation Provided for Consultations in the Pediatric Emergency Department: Another Perspective

Background: Many procedures requiring sedation in the pediatric emergency department are performed by consultants from outside the department. This team usually includes orthopedic surgeons and general surgeons. As sedation is now a standard of care in such cases, we evaluated consultants' views on sedation. Objectives: To evaluate consultants' views on sedation. Methods: A questionnaire with both open-ended questions and Likert-type scores was distributed to all orthopedic surgeons and general surgeons performing procedures during the study period. The questionnaire was presented at three medical centers. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 31 orthopedic surgeons and 16 general surgeons. Although the vast majority (93-100%) considered sedation important, a high percentage (64-75%) would still perform such procedures without sedation if not readily available. Conclusions: Sedation is very important for patients and although consultants understand its importance, the emergency department staff must be vigilant in both being available and not allowing procedures to "escape" the use of sedation.