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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u/KingNobit Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25

Used it for a ketofol procedural sedation in a 28 year old the other day. A nurse played some French jazz music through a Bluetooth speaker and the guy had a smile from ear to ear as if he had never known stress in his life. A thing of beauty. It'd be great to come in for just the anaesthetic 

38

u/Mormon_Discoball Jun 20 '25

Jazz would put me in a homicidal state I think

32

u/KingNobit Jun 20 '25

Noted will take song requests in the future

4

u/SliverMcSilverson Paramedic Jun 20 '25

So you can't hang with Barry B Benson huh

2

u/erinkca Jun 21 '25

Ok but French jazz…

3

u/Felicity_Calculus Jun 20 '25

would depend entirely on style. Bebop would be no bueno

5

u/FreshiKbsa ED Attending Jun 20 '25

I usually give people the option for reggae or classical music