So this week, on to a new hospital for a 13 week travel gig and was required to go through hospital nursing orientation. I was in a moderate sedation competency class and the instructor told us that nursing wouldn't be doing the sedation much longer. Said the task would be assigned to Respiratory Therapy as they are allowed to push drugs and monitor the patient in this U.S. state and it is within their scope of practice.
Upon further discussion, the instructor stated it would have to be an experienced RT, gone through EKG competency, be ACLS certified. Could administer sedation drugs like: Versed, Ativan, Valium, Morphine, Fentanyl and such for purposes of moderate sedation and then monitor the patient until the procedure was complete at which point they would report off to nursing.
Does anyone work in a facility that does this or ever even heard of it?
