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/rayray69696969 RN Jun 20 '25

Idk about ethical obligation but I literally tell them “okay we are about to give you a medicine that is going to make you very high and we need to get you in the right mindset!” And I talk them cheerfully and make them comfortable and include them in cutting up with the team leading up to whatever sedation we are about to do. Sometimes I play Don’t Worry About a Thing by Bob Marley beforehand if they are really wigging out.