The resource library from the previous version of this site has been consolidated onto this page. The full reference — the complete Moderate Sedation for Non-Anesthesia Nurses manual and the course slide deck — is included inside the CSRN™ course, where every topic below is taught in depth on video.
Please read this first. Everything on this page is general educational reference for sedation providers, not clinical direction and not a substitute for the current package insert, your facility’s protocols, your prescriber’s orders, or your own clinical judgment. Doses, monitoring standards, drug availability and state requirements change, and this page may be out of date by the time you read it — verify everything against current references before clinical use. Healthy Visions and Sedation Certification accept no liability for any decision taken on the basis of this page.
Sedation medications — quick reference
Most moderate-sedation cases combine a benzodiazepine with an opioid, which raises the stakes on dosing, monitoring, and reversal. The classes at a glance — or go straight to the full sedation medication reference library (per-drug dosing, onset/peak/duration, and reversal monographs):
| Class | Common agents | Role in sedation | Reversal agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzodiazepines | Midazolam (Versed), Diazepam (Valium), Lorazepam (Ativan) | Sedation, anxiolysis, amnesia. Midazolam is generally preferred for its shorter duration; wait 3–5 minutes for peak effect before re-dosing. | Flumazenil (Romazicon) |
| Opioids | Fentanyl (Sublimaze), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) | Analgesia. Fentanyl reaches onset in 1–2 minutes and must be titrated slowly to avoid respiratory depression. | Naloxone (Narcan) |
| Newer agents | Remimazolam | Ultra–short-acting benzodiazepine; covered in a dedicated course supplement. | Flumazenil (Romazicon) |
| Anesthetic agents | Propofol (Diprivan), Ketamine (Ketalar), Nitrous oxide | Deep sedation/anesthesia territory — administration is restricted by many state boards and facility policies to specific credentialed providers. Know your state’s rule and your facility’s policy. | No reversal agent — airway and ventilatory support |
| Emergency medications | Atropine, Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Glucagon | Managing bradycardia, allergic response, and other sedation-related events — every sedation location needs them immediately available. | — |
Educational summary only — not clinical guidance. Dosing, contraindications, and management protocols are covered in Part 6 (Medications) of the course and in the course manual, and always defer to your facility’s policies.
State requirements & position statements
Looking for the old state-by-state position statement pages? They’ve been rebuilt as verified state guides quoting each board’s own guidance: moderate sedation requirements, state by state. Organizational positions (TJC, AANA, ASA and others) are summarized within the course itself — Part 2 covers protocols, standards, and accreditation expectations.
Frequently asked questions
Does my state require a sedation certification course?
No state mandates one specific course — but most boards expect facilities to hold documented evidence of sedation education and assessed competency for every nurse on the sedation roster. See your state’s page for the board’s own words.
Who is the CSRN™ course for?
Registered nurses and other licensed professionals who administer or monitor moderate sedation — in hospitals, ASCs, GI/endoscopy units, interventional radiology, cath labs, emergency departments, pain clinics, and office-based procedure suites.
How many CE hours does the course carry?
10 CE contact hours, delivered across 8 course parts plus 2 interactive case studies — pharmacology, airway assessment, monitoring, complications, and recovery, developed and delivered on video by Capt. M. Ron Eslinger, CRNA.
Can my employer verify my certificate?
Yes. Ask them to email info@sedation.education with the certificate ID printed on the document, and our office will confirm it from the register.
I’m looking for a specific article or drug page from the old site.
The medication reference library made the move — every drug page kept its original address. Older articles were retired; their content lives on in the course manual and course videos. If you need something specific that you can’t find, contact us and we’ll point you to it.
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