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Use of dexmedetomidine infusion as a sedative drug for patients in the intensive care unit

Nelson Selvaraj Lecturer, adult nursing, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales

The administration of sedatives may present several challenges for critical care nurses. Evidence-based practice requires critical care nurses to remain up to date with developments in sedation management and ensure safe and effective use of sedative agents in their practice. Dexmedetomidine is a sedative drug that has been increasingly used in the intensive care setting in recent years. This article provides an overview of the pharmacological properties of dexmedetomidine and discusses nurses' responsibilities in caring for patients receiving dexmedetomidine infusion.

Nursing Standard. 31, 44, 42-50. doi: 10.7748/ns.2017.e10338

Correspondence

selvarajn1@cardiff.ac.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 05 November 2015

Accepted: 19 August 2016

Keywords :

analgesia - analgesic - critical care - dexmedetomidine - intensive care - medicines management - patient safety - sedation