Conscious Sedation in PA

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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Hi,

I have worked in Interventional Radiology at a very busy practice in the State of Ohio for 8 years before moving to Virginia where I did 2 years in Endoscopy. Both hospitals were very up to date and followed policies by the book for giving conscious sedation--including having non-anesthesia doctors being credentialed in conscious sedation and having ACLS, along with being present during the administration. I am now living in PA and it seems that the policies are quite different. The doc I work with orders all the meds and signs for them, but I have recently found out he is not required to have ACLS! It just doesn't seem right and I am trying to get the right answers and am having difficulty. It seems that there is no policy about this so I was told he is, "not required". I am the only one, then, that has ACLS in the procedure room during the sedation--and you all know some patients are fairly healthy and some are in pretty bad shape often!

Does anyone know the state guidelines in PA about non-anesthesia administered concious sedation? I have been searching and not finding any specific answers. I feel that the rules here are very cloudy and I am not used to that!!!!

Thanks,

julie:nurse:

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Specializes in Critical Care (ICU and ER).

idk about the commonwealth's "laws" per say but in my facility there must be two healthcare providers in the room at all times, one of whom is acls certified. so, you and a doc and you have acls then your gin. also only providers with anesthesia privileges are allowed to give ketamine or propofol ivp. we sedate with mso4/fentanyl/demerol & valium/versed/etomidate only and we found that there is no policy that covers us for fentanyl or etomidate.

(just so the doc knows if the pt goes sideways on the two of you, you're in charge of the resuscitation)

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Specializes in diverse.
Hi,

I have worked in Interventional Radiology at a very busy practice in the State of Ohio for 8 years before moving to Virginia where I did 2 years in Endoscopy. Both hospitals were very up to date and followed policies by the book for giving conscious sedation--including having non-anesthesia doctors being credentialed in conscious sedation and having ACLS, along with being present during the administration. I am now living in PA and it seems that the policies are quite different. The doc I work with orders all the meds and signs for them, but I have recently found out he is not required to have ACLS! It just doesn't seem right and I am trying to get the right answers and am having difficulty. It seems that there is no policy about this so I was told he is, "not required". I am the only one, then, that has ACLS in the procedure room during the sedation--and you all know some patients are fairly healthy and some are in pretty bad shape often!

Does anyone know the state guidelines in PA about non-anesthesia administered concious sedation? I have been searching and not finding any specific answers. I feel that the rules here are very cloudy and I am not used to that!!!!

Thanks,

julie:nurse:

Having done that I can tell you we only had anesthesia docs in rm for High Risk pts. no one ever asked about MDs but thanks for the heads up .
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