Pediatric Procedural Sedation for Radiologic Procedures: A Pilot Program

Pediatric procedural sedation is a growing discipline that strives to meet the demand for effective and safe management of the pain and anxiety associated with health care. Most formal sedation programs geared for children are at large academic centers. In this article, we describe the development of a pediatric sedation program for imaging studies at a community hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Recognizing the problem of inadequate pain and anxiety control among pediatric patients presenting for care, we identified ways to maximize the resources available to us and established a multidisciplinary team providing graded care for pediatric patients presenting for routine imaging studies. The program has been met with enthusiasm by both staff and families.