tr2ci3

I'm sorry you feel that way. I admit the first few years can be tough as you develop from novice to proficient nurse. I have been doing it for a while not to mention transitioned to nursing faculty. Hang in there and really strive to see the "flowers in the midst of the trash", there really are lilies in the valley.

Sedation holidays should be a part of the routine assessment at the start of each shift. Generally I decrease the amount of sedation my patient is currently receiving in an effort to assess his or her ability to follow commands, orientation, compare muscle strength, etc. I never just stop the sedation, I gradually decrease it until the patient begins to respond to my voice. I find they become less agitated and usually I'm able to completely stop the sedation this way. My facility policy is for the nurse to perform a sedation holiday once daily. It is typically done in the morning during change of shift throughout physician rounds (if the patient can tolerate it). The sedation holiday is considered a part of ventilator weaning thus it's relationship to VAP prevention.