propofol

i agree propofol is an awesome drug....we do sometimes use a tiny dose perhour in conscious patients monitoring for sedation closely, but more often at one hospital i work at, it is used on ventilator patients, very successfully, and it wears off rapidly.

Remember when Versed was not approved for use by RN's? Of course, I'm dating myself. Propofol in the ICU setting was just getting popular 10 years ago. Even then, in the intubated patient, some physicians were hesitant to use it. Now, it is steadily moving into the procedural settings-just as Versed did. Even so, at this time, Propofol in the procedural area has to be administered by an anesthesiologist or a CRNA. I believe that with time and education, Propofol will become more widely used than Versed. If one does deliver too much drug-turn it off and support ventilations. The half-life is extremely short and the drug will wear off quickly. Unlike Versed, esp if used with Fentanyl, which could last a couple of hours. Procedural clinics like Propofol because they can turn over patients much more quickly. I love Propofol! I have had a moderate sedation procedure with it-Good stuff!!