r/emergencymedicine • u/rainbowsforeverrr • Jun 20 '25

Advice Ketamine-- how to prepare patients?

Hi folks, ER nurse here. I'm curious how you talk to patients about ketamine admin for procedures or for intractable pain relief. I give it fairly often but I still haven't found the right way to prepare patients (or parents of littles) for the psychotropic effects. I've never used ketamine personally, but it seems to be a very intense experience that ought to be part of the informed consent conversation. What is our ethical obligation?

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14

u/EbagI Jun 20 '25

Slap it in a bag of 100-250 solution and give over 15 mins or so. A lot of the psychogenic stuff is waaaay less intense

13

u/TheTampoffs RN Jun 20 '25

Nah if I ever need a reduction I want to be on the mooN, thanks!

27

u/kenks88 Jun 20 '25

Youll still be on the moon, just way less chance you'll be fighting other astronauts on the moon.

13

u/ERRNmomof2 RN Jun 20 '25

I pushed 150mg on a 70kg patient getting an abscess lanced and she screamed. For 1 hour.

12

u/TemporaryPt Trauma Team - BSN Jun 20 '25

I’m a fairly new RN and my first time giving ketamine for pain I pushed it to fast and the pt just started screaming “THE WALLS ARE MELTING” over and over. It goes in a 50 bag now