Combining Observational and Physiologic Sedation Assessment Tools

The purposes of this study were to examine the effect of combining a physiologic measure of consciousness (BIS) with observational assessment of sedation (Ramsay) on infused sedation drug volumes, undersedation events, and the recovery time to arouse from sedation, in a group of neurocritically ill patients. During a 12-hour data collection period, patients received sedation assessment and management with either the current standard of care (sedation assessment with the Ramsay scale), or the standard of care plus the addition of physiologic data from BIS monitoring. Planned research questions explored how BIS monitoring impacts short-term sedation-related outcomes.

Research Questions

• Is there less sedation drug use for patients when nurses monitor sedation with BIS augmentation of Ramsay than when nurses monitor patients with Ramsay alone?
• Is sedation assessment augmented by BIS use associated with a decreased time to wake-up (recovery time) when nurses are instructed to interrupt sedation and obtain a neurologic examination, compared to use of Ramsay alone?
• Are there differences in the number of events associated with undersedation (e.g., self-extubation) for patients assigned to BIS augmentation compared to patients assigned to Ramsay alone?