Despite apparent consensus, lack of shared understanding of the rationale for an intervention may lead to divergent practice patterns and failure to implement standardized, evidence-based practice.

There was wide consensus on the importance of daily interruptions of sedation, however practitioners usually performed sedation interruption for 1 of 5 distinct reasons: minimizing the dose of sedation, performing a neurologic exam, facilitating ventilator weaning, reducing ICU length of stay, and assessing patient pain.

We conducted 5 focus groups of intensive care unit (ICU) physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists over a two-month period to identify attitudes, barriers, and motivations to perform a daily interruption of sedation.

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