Sedation and analgesia in pediatric patients for procedures outside the operating room

Sedation and analgesia in pediatric patients for procedures outside the operating room are becoming more frequent as health care is being driven to be more cost effective and "efficient." Although anesthesiologists may not be directly involved in sedation or analgesia outside of the operating room, there is a high likelihood that they will be asked by their institutions to be integrally involved in creating and supervising sedation policy given that the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations consider sedation and analgesia as part of a continuum ranging from minimal sedation to moderate sedation and analgesia, deep sedation and analgesia, and, finally, general anesthesia. Further, anesthesiologists will be asked to define, teach, and credential nonanesthesiology practitioners who perform deep sedation because these practitioners are now required to be qualified to "rescue from general anesthesia."