A Sedation Unit Approach

The concept of a pediatric sedation unit developed as the need for a sedation service outside of the operating room became legitimized and essential to hospitals with a large pediatric population. The pediatric sedation unit is an area of a hospital specifically designed and staffed to provide safe sedation to children for invasive and noninvasive procedures outside of the operating room. A well-organized unit offers many benefits to the hospital, including efficiency, cost savings, and patient/family/provider satisfaction. The unit’s design and administration will vary based on the local medical climate and needs of a given region. The unit is highly integrated into the hospital and, once established, is virtually essential to the provision of safe and efficient care of children. Integration with the hospital, study modalities, and subspecialties can be facilitated by easy access to the unit for inpatients and outpatients, enhanced communication using the electronic medical record, an organized scheduling and screening process, and attention to improvement and growth.