Unintentional overdose of a narcotic or sedative medication can quickly lead to a serious adverse drug event. Protocols that incorporate pain and sedation scales can serve as a guide to help clinical personnel quickly and accurately select the appropriate dosage and adjust it as needed. Pain assessment scales provide information from the patient about whether pain relief has been achieved with the narcotic. Sedation scales provide clinical staff with objective criteria to assess whether the level of sedation is appropriate. Nurses and pharmacists can initiate and manage these protocols, thus saving time both for them and for physicians. It also helps provide more timely adjustments to dosages, which decreases the risk of adverse drug events to patients.