Sedation for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on children with cardiac conditions

Pre sedation assessment, communication and patient information and consent

Health care professionals delivering sedation should have knowledge and understanding of and competency in:

• Sedation pharmacology and applied physiology
• Assessment of children and young people
• Monitoring
• Recovery care
• Complications and immediate management, including paediatric life support

Health care professionals delivering sedation should have practical experience of:

• Effectively delivering the chosen sedation technique and managing complications
• Observing clinical signs (for example, airway patency breathing rate and depth, pulse, pallor and cyanosis and depth of sedation)
• Using monitoring equipment
• All members of the sedation team should have basic life support skills and at least one member with intermediate life support when delivering minimal and moderate sedation.

Patient-centred care and consent

Children and young people undergoing sedation and their parents and carers should have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their care and treatment, in partnership with their healthcare professionals. Informed consent should be obtained for sedation as well as the procedure.

Fasting

Before starting sedation, confirm and record the time of last food and fluid intake in the healthcare record.

Fasting is not mandatory for:

• Minimal sedation or
• Moderate sedation during which the child or young person will maintain verbal contact with the healthcare professional.

Apply the 2-4-6 fasting rule for:

• Deep sedation and moderate sedation during which the child or young person may not maintain verbal contact with the healthcare professional.

Conscious sedation for Echocardiogram

For children and young people undergoing a transthoracic echocardiogram under sedation, the target level of sedation is classed as minimal to moderate: during which the child or young person will maintain verbal contact with the healthcare professional. Consider EITHER:

• Chloral Hydrate : Oral Route : 50mg/kg (higher dose up to 100mg/kg may be used) as per BNF
  OR
• Midazolam (oral or intranasal): 0.5mg/kg as per BNF
  
  
• Ensure the patient only receives one of these drugs. They should NOT be prescribed both.
  
  
• Ensure Refer to BNFc for up to date dosage instructions of conscious sedation for procedure.

Painful Procedures

For children and young people undergoing a painful procedure (for example suture laceration, chest drain removal), when the target level of sedation is minimal or moderate, consider:

• Midazolam (oral or intranasal)
• Refer to BNFc for dosage of conscious sedation for procedure
• Pain relief (Administer at least 30 minutes prior to procedure) 

Psychological Preparation

Ensure the child or young person is prepared psychologically for sedation by offering information about:

• The procedure
• Sensations associated with the procedure
• Offer parent and carers to be present during sedation if appropriate

Monitoring

For moderate sedation: continuously monitor and interpret and respond to changes in all of the following:

• Depth of sedation
• Respiration Rate
• Oxygen Saturation
• Heart rate
• Pain
• Distress

The patient should have a patent airway throughout the procedure, be able to protect their airway, be haemodynamically stable and be easily aroused if they are sedated to a minimal/ moderate level. If they have any signs of the above then the person giving the sedation needs to be aware that the patient is over sedated and a senior person needs to be contacted or PICU informed perhaps.

After the procedure, continue monitoring until the child or young person:

• has a patent airway
• Shows protective and breathing reflexes
• Is haemodynamically stable
• Is easily roused
• Ensure vital signs have returned to normal
• The young person is awake

The patient should have a patent airway throughout the procedure, be able to protect their airway, be haemodynamically stable and be easily aroused if they are sedated to a minimal/ moderate level. If they have any signs of the above then the person giving the sedation needs to be aware that the patient is over sedated and a senior person needs to be contacted or PICU informed perhaps.

Discharge Criteria

Ensure the following criteria are met before the child or young person is discharged:

• Vital signs have returned to normal
• The child or young person is awake and there is no risk of further reduced level of consciousness
• Patient can be discharge 2 hours post dose of sedation
• Nausea, vomiting and pain have been adequately managed.

Logbook entry

Ensure the logbook for sedation for transthoracic echo is completed by the Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Doctor.