What type of monitoring must be continuously performed when patients are administered parenteral narcotics or sedative agents?

When patients are administered parenteral narcotics or sedative agents, it is crucial to perform continuous monitoring of several vital parameters to ensure patient safety and identify any adverse effects promptly.

Continuous cardiac monitoring is essential because these substances can cause respiratory depression and subsequently lead to cardiac complications. Observing the heart's rhythm and rate can help detect any arrhythmias that may arise due to the effects of the medication.

Oxygen saturation monitoring is also critical as these agents can depress the central nervous system, leading to inadequate ventilation and decreased oxygen levels in the blood. Continuous assessment ensures that any drop in oxygen saturation is identified rapidly, allowing for timely interventions.

Additionally, ETCO2 (end-tidal carbon dioxide) monitoring provides valuable information about the patient’s ventilatory status. It measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in exhaled air, indicating whether the patient is adequately ventilating. A rise in ETCO2 can indicate hypoventilation, which is a significant risk when sedative or narcotic agents are used.

Given all these factors, continuous monitoring of cardiac status, oxygen saturation, and ETCO2 is paramount when administering these types of medications, thus the correct response is that all of these monitoring types must be performed continuously.