Palliative sedation in nursing anesthesia.

Palliative sedation is a technique of providing a sedative for end-of-life care to patients with intractable pain. The literature discusses the techniques and use of palliative sedation. Numerous articles have been written regarding the issues surrounding its use, but no literature has discussed the prescription or administration of palliative sedation by a nurse anesthetist. By understanding the concept and ethics involved in its use and providing nursing care that is theory based, the author argues that the involvement of nursing anesthesia is appropriate and within the scope of practice. Few other healthcare disciplines can provide the patient care and empirical knowledge that is imperative in the care of the dying patient. This article discusses the concept and ethics of palliative sedation and presents a case of providing palliative sedation to a terminally ill patient by an experienced nurse anesthetist. Palliative sedation should be understood, embraced, and utilized as an area of expertise suited for nursing anesthesia.