Background Safety and acceptability of sedative self-administration by patients receiving mechanical ventilation is unknown. Objectives To determine if self-administration of dexmedetomidine by patients is safe and acceptable for self-management of anxiety during ventilatory support. Methods In a pilot trial in 3 intensive care units, 17 intubated patients were randomly assigned to dexmedetomidine and 20 to usual care. Dexmedetomidine was administered via standard pumps for patient-controlled analgesia, with a basal infusion (0.1–0.7 μg/kg per hour) titrated by the number of patient-triggered doses (0.25 μg/kg per dose). Safety goals were heart rate greater than 40/min, systolic blood pressure greater than 80 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure greater than 50 mm Hg. Acceptability was based on patients’ self-reported satisfaction and ability to administer the sedative. A 100-mm visual analog scale was used daily to assess patients’ anxiety. Results The sample was 59% male and 89% white. Mean values were age, 50.6 years; score on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation, 60.1; and protocol duration, 3.4 days. Five dexmedetomidine patients had blood pressure and/or heart rate lower than safety parameters, necessitating short-term treatment. Nurses’ adherence to reporting of safety parameters was 100%; adherence to the dexmedetomidine titration algorithm was 73%. Overall baseline anxiety score was 38.4 and did not change significantly (β day = 2.1; SE, 2.5; P = .40). Most dexmedetomidine patients (92%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their ability to self-administer medication. Conclusions For select patients, self-administration of dexmedetomidine is safe and acceptable.

Background Weaning from mechanical ventilation requires increased respiratory effort, which can heighten anxiety and later prolong the need for mechanical ventilation. Objectives To examine the predictive associations of music intervention, anxiety, sedative exposure, and patients’ characteristics on time to initiation and duration of weaning trials of patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Methods A descriptive, correlational design was used for a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial. Music listening was defined as self-initiated, patient-directed music via headphones. Anxiety was measured daily with a visual analog scale. Sedative exposure was operationalized as a daily sedation intensity score and a sedative dose frequency. Analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, graphing, survival analysis, Cox proportional hazards regression, and linear regression. Results Of 307 patients, 52% were women and 86% were white. Mean age was 59.3 (SD, 14.4) years, mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III score was 62.9 (SD, 21.6), mean duration of ventilatory support was 8 (range, 1–52) days, and mean stay in the intensive care unit was 18 (range, 2–71) days. Music listening, anxiety levels, and sedative exposure did not influence time to initial weaning trial or duration of trials. Clinical factors of illness severity, days of weaning trials, and tracheostomy placement influenced weaning patterns in this sample. Conclusions Prospective studies of music intervention and other psychophysiological factors during weaning from mechanical ventilation are needed to better understand factors that promote successful weaning.