Perspectives on Sedation Among Interdisciplinary Team Members in ICU: A Survey Study

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Nursing
• Respiratory Therapy
• Medical Education

Background:

• Sedation is crucial for mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU.
• Interdisciplinary team collaboration is vital for optimal patient outcomes.
• Understanding team members' beliefs about sedation is essential for effective practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore beliefs and attitudes of interdisciplinary team members regarding sedation.
• To identify differences in perspectives on sedation among ICU professionals.
• To assess the impact of educational interventions on sedation-related beliefs.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey administered to ICU staff (nurses, physicians, APPs, RTs, PTs, OTs).
• Modified validated survey instrument to assess perspectives on sedation.
• Anonymous data collection with 81% response rate from 111 participants.

Main Results:

• 94% of respondents believed sedation practice impacts patient outcomes.
• Significant differences found in beliefs about sedation's role in alleviating patient stress across disciplines (p=0.008).
• Strong variations in preferred sedation levels if mechanically ventilated were observed by discipline (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Significant interdisciplinary differences exist in beliefs and attitudes toward ICU sedation.
• Aligning team members' mental models on sedation is crucial for interprofessional collaboration.
• Promoting evidence-based sedation best practices requires addressing these diverse perspectives.