A multicenter survey of Ontario intensive care unit nurses regarding the use of sedatives and analgesics for adults receiving mechanical ventilation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nursing-directed sedation protocols have been shown to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and shorten the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay among critically ill adult patients. METHODS: We designed a self-administered questionnaire to understand nurses' satisfaction with current sedation and analgesia practices as well as drug therapies in the ICU setting and the perceived relevance of sedation protocols to patient …