A prospective evaluation of the incidence of adverse events in nurse-administered moderate sedation guided by sedation scores or Bispectral Index.

Background: Moderate sedation is routinely performed in patients undergoing minor therapeutic and diagnostic procedures outside the operating room. The level of sedation is often monitored by sedation nurses using clinical criteria, such as sedation scores. The Bispectral Index (BIS) is derived from changes in the electroencephalograph profile that may provide an objective measure of the level of sedation.