Sedation curriculum for gastrointestinal endoscopy

The national gastroenterology societies have issued a new document on sedation training for gastrointestinal endoscopy. The Multisociety Sedation Curriculum for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (MSCGE) grew out of the need for a complete and programmatic approach to the training of procedure sedation. The document is published jointly in Gastroenterology, American Journal of Gastroenterology, GIE:Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Hepatology and in Gastroenterology Nursing. "As a natural outgrowth of the Gastroenterology Core Curriculum, the sponsoring societies thought that a comprehensive document covering the aspects of procedure sedation from pharmacology, periprocedure assessment, airway management, and the use of anesthesia services was necessary for a variety of reasons. Chief among these was to ensure a standardized basis for instruction through the use of competency-based training," said John J. Vargo, MD, MPH, Committee Chair, Multi-Society Sedation Task Force. "Throughout this document, the paramount importance of practice and research based on the highest principles of ethics, humanism, and professionalism is reinforced." Endoscopic sedation strives to seek a balance between patient comfort and drug-related side effects. Optimal sedation allows the patient the greatest degree of comfort while preserving the greatest degree of safety. The MSCGE represents a joint collaborative effort among the national gastroenterology societies - the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. In addition, the Society for Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates played a crucial role in the development of the MSCGE. The MSCGE constitutes a living document that represents the sponsoring societies' vision of best practices in procedure sedation training based on published data and expert consensus. It provides a framework for developing an individual plan of study and growth that should be tailored to meet the needs of each individual trainee based on the strengths and special qualities of each individual training program. Additionally, the curriculum can serve the practicing gastroenterologist in the updating of both knowledge and skills. The curriculum will continue to evolve with time as new knowledge, methods of learning, novel techniques and technologies, and challenges arise. The MSCGE has been divided into an overview of training and 11 sections encompassing the breadth of knowledge and skills required for the practice of procedural sedation for GI endoscopy: