Recognizing Intensive Care Unit Delirium: Are Critical Care Nurses Ready?

Delirium prevalence, interventions and barriers in intensive care units in German-speaking countries: A retrospective cross-sectional secondary analysis

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of delirium in intensive care units (ICUs) is high and has a major impact on patient outcomes.

AIM

To describe delirium assessment instruments, prevalence, interventions and barriers in delirium management in adult and paediatric ICUs; and to explore the association between delirium prevalence and reported interventions and barriers at unit level.

STUDY DESIGN

A secondary analysis of the cross-sectional World Delirium Awareness Day Delirium Survey on 15 March 2023. This was a prospective study to assess the one-day point delirium prevalence, practices and quality improvement efforts across healthcare systems. Data was analysed descriptively and using multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

Data of 1612 assessments in 123 ICUs from three German-speaking countries were analysed. The most frequently used delirium assessment instrument was the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (43.9%, n = 54). The prevalence of delirium at 8 AM was 18.6% and at 8 PM 20.4% from the 94 ICUs included in the regression analyses. Prevalence for adult and paediatric and mixed ICUs are comparable. Main reported over all unit-level interventions were 'pain management' (95.9%, n = 118), 'mobilization' (94.3%, n = 116) and 'verbal re-orientation' (84.6%, n = 104). Main reported over all unit-level barriers were 'shortage of staff' (53.7%, n = 66) and 'patients who are difficult to assess' (44.7%, n = 55). Interventions such as 'avoidance of bladder tubes/catheters' in all ICUs, 'use of ear plugs and/or sleep glasses' in adult ICUs and 'mobilization' in paediatric and mixed ICUs were associated with reduced delirium prevalence. Across all ICUs, as well as in both adult and paediatric ICUs, 'lack of appropriate scores for delirium assessment' was identified as a significant barrier.

CONCLUSIONS

One fifth of assessed ICU patients suffer from delirium. Several reported unit-level interventions and barriers may have an impact on delirium prevalence, suggesting an approach for future studies and clinical practice.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

In clinical practice, unit-level 'avoidance of bladder tubes/catheters', 'use of ear plugs and/or sleep glasses' and 'mobilization' may be used as delirium prevention and treatment interventions.

Incidence of delirium in older people with cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Delirium is a prevalent neuropsychiatric syndrome in older people with cancer. However, there are no meta-analyses assessing its incidence exclusively in this population. This study aims to assess the incidence proportion of delirium in older people with cancer in the hospital area.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out. MEDLINE, Scopus, and EBSCO were searched from inception to December 2021. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Inclusion criteria were original peer-reviewed studies with experimental (randomised controlled trials), observational, and cross-sectional designs assessing delirium older inpatients (≥65 years) with oncological diseases in medical and post-surgical hospital areas and using validated screening or diagnostic methods. A web-based system was used to manage the screening process. Study quality was assessed with Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools. The statistical analysis was performed in RevMan v5.4.0 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK), using a random-effects model to calculate incidence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Based on 37 included articles, the incidence proportion of delirium ranged from 3.8% to 61.4%, in a total of 11,847 older patients with cancer. Meta-analysis showed a pooled incidence of 22.6% (95% confidence interval 18.5%, 26.7%; I2 = 97%, p < 0.001). The main tools for detection were the Diagnostic Statistical Manual criteria and the Confusion Assessment Methods scale.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence proportion of delirium in older inpatients with cancer is 22.6%. Incidence in the medical setting was higher than in the post-surgical areas. There is a need for high-quality studies examining delirium in older people with cancer.

Family Presence May Reduce Postoperative Delirium After Spinal Surgery

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Delirium is associated with worse outcomes, but there is a gap in literature identifying nurse-led interventions to reduce delirium in postoperative (postop) surgical spine patients. Because family presence has been associated with a variety of beneficial effects, we aimed to examine whether family presence in the spine intensive care unit (ICU) during the night after surgery was associated with less confusion or delirium on postop day 1. METHODS: This is a prospective nonrandomized pilot clinical trial with pragmatic sampling. Group designation was assigned by natural history. The family-present group was designated as patients for whom a family member remained present during the first night after surgery. The unaccompanied group was designated as patients who did not have a family member stay the night. Data include the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale, the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU, the 4AT (Alertness, Attention, Abbreviated mental test, and Acute change) score, and confusion measured with the orientation item on the Glasgow Coma Scale. Baseline data were collected after admission to the spine ICU and compared with the same data collected in the morning of postop day 1. RESULTS: At baseline, 5 of 16 patients in the family-present group (31.3%) had at least 1 incidence of delirium or confusion. Similarly, 6 of 14 patients in the unaccompanied group (42.9%) had at least 1 incidence of delirium or confusion. There was a clinically relevant, but not statistically significant, reduction in postop day 1 delirium or confusion comparing the family-present (6.3%) and unaccompanied (21.4%) groups ( P = .23). CONCLUSION: Family presence may reduce delirium and confusion for patients after spine surgery. The results support continued research into examining nurse-led interventions to reduce delirium and improve outcomes for this population.

Level of Delirium and its Contributing Factor among Patients in ICU

Background: Delirium is an acute state of confusion characterized by a rapid onset, usually within hours to days, with changes in consciousness and cognitive changes. Delirium may also present as a form of agitation in intensive care patients. Delirium can affect up to 80% of patients in intensive care units and increase their length of stay and cost of hospitalization. Objectives: The main aim of the study is to evaluate the level of Delirium and its contributing factors among patients in intensive care unit. Methods: A descriptive study design was adopted for the study with 60 samples that met the inclusion criteria and were selected using convenience sampling technique. Data for demographic variables were collected using multiple-choice questionnaires, followed by assessment of delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) scale. Results: 20%) had mild delirium, 13 samples (21.7%) of moderate delirium and 13 samples (21.7%) of severe delirium. Regarding the demographic variables of delirium, diabetes rapidly had a statistically significant association with the degree of delirium in ICU patients at p < 0.05. Conclusion: Confusion assessment method (CAM) is an effective to find out the level of delirium among intensive care unit patients.