Pediatric Sedation: The European Experience and Approach

With more than 50 countries and as many national histories, Europe can hardly be considered as a solid set of common elements. Despite the increasing political, financial, economic, and administrative integration of a growing number of countries within the European Union (EU), European healthcare systems remain highly diverse. In the last few years, European experts on pediatric sedation have increasingly exchanged insights and experiences, and a growing number of local, national, and European initiatives intended to improve procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) practice have been created. This chapter avoids reiteration of what is commonly known in the United States and instead describes and contrasts what is different or new in Europe. In doing so, we have drawn upon our personal knowledge and experience in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, researched the European literature, and gathered some of our own data to describe what we believe to be the important and interesting European problems and perspectives with pediatric sedation.