Sedation Program

Comprehensive Training for Non-Anesthesia Healthcare Practitioners

Our Sedation Program is a comprehensive, university-affiliated certificate program designed for non-anesthesia healthcare practitioners who want to practice as Sedationists. It is designed to educate healthcare professionals (e.g., RN, NP, PA, DDS, DPM, and MD/DO) on the clinical touchstones required to administer sedation safely and effectively in office-based, ambulatory, and hospital procedure rooms.  

Our program is benchmarked against the standards and criteria set by The Joint Commission (TJC), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), as well as applicable specialty guidelines and best practices.

Program Overview

This comprehensive Sedation Program provides participants with the necessary education to understand patient assessment, manage a basic airway, appreciate the standards for safe practice, sedation pharmacology and physiology, monitoring, acute post-sedation recovery, and rescue from sedation-related emergencies.

The uniquely designed and progressively tailored course curriculum considers the guidelines of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), The Joint Commission (TJC), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for procedural sedation, as well as other healthcare professional practice recommendations in their respective specialties. It prepares graduates to become Sedationists.

Who Should Attend?

    Physicians 
    Dentists
    Podiatrists
    Registered Nurses (RNs)
    Physician Assistants (PAs)
    Other healthcare providers whose scope of practice includes sedation administration.

Key Learning Objectives

Define and distinguish the levels of sedation (light, moderate, and deep)  
Understand the pharmacology of sedation medications 
Understand the physiology consequences of sedation medications
Understand how to perform an airway exam
Understand how to complete a sedation-specific history and physical exam 
Be able to prepare and complete sedation paperwork
Be able to monitor and manage sedation levels
Be able to monitor and manage sedation emergencies and complications  
Gain knowledge of post-sedation care, including recovery from sedation 
Understand ethical, legal, and documentation considerations related to sedation 

Course Structure

Our 6-credit education program (Basic certificate) combines virtual classroom, didactic instruction, and feedback sessions to ensure competency in sedation delivery. Participants will engage in:

Sedation-specific, self-paced, and asynchronous online learning modules with interactive discussions  
Competency assessment through written exams, projects, and participation in sedation-related discussions 

Our 6-credit education program (Advanced sedation) combines advanced didactic instruction, virtual classroom sessions, and virtual simulations to ensure competency in sedation administration. Participants will engage in:

Sedation-specific, self-paced, and asynchronous online learning modules with interactive discussions  
Virtual simulations to enhance clinical sedation-related decision-making and patient safety 
Competency assessment through written exams, projects, and participation in sedation-related discussions

Our 18-credit education program (Master’s in Sedation) combines advanced didactic instruction, virtual classroom sessions, simulation training, and field experience to ensure competency in sedation administration. Participants will engage in:

Sedation-specific, self-paced, and asynchronous online learning modules with interactive discussions 
Simulations to enhance clinical sedation-related decision-making and patient safety 
Participation in a capstone project involving sedation science
Competency assessment through written exams, projects, and participation in sedation-related discussions

Advance your knowledge and competency surrounding safe and high-quality sedation care. Financial aid may be available, too.

Our Sedation Program helps prepare graduates for their career as a Sedationist.