Chapter 25 - Sedation in the Office and Other Outpatient Settings

Summary

The office or outpatient setting as a site for procedures is, metaphorically, a small lifeboat (not a pirate ship!) on the high seas away from port and the mothership, far from immediate aid. Whether the site is a detached procedural area on the campus of a large medical center, or a procedure room in a physician’s office, the metaphor is appropriate. The lifeboat and her crew must be capable and equipped to handle emergencies without immediate help from the outside. At a medical center, even a detached outpatient procedural area may have access to a rapid response team with rescue capabilities. However, such advanced emergency support teams will not be as close as they would be if the procedure were taking place in the main hospital. Help may be even more distant when working at a freestanding outpatient surgical suite or a physician’s office, when the municipal emergency response system (911) must be activated. Therefore, the crew of the lifeboat must be prepared to perform the primary resuscitation as they are the first responders.