Prevention of delirium in acute decompensated heart failure using multi-component non-pharmacologic prevention

ConclusionsThe educational intervention was designed to increase awareness and understanding of the nursing staff regarding the nature, characteristics, negative outcomes, and costs of delirium, as well as the success and net monetary benefit of prevention protocols. The educational program focused on practical strategies derived from the NICE Clinical Guideline 103. Delirium prevention reduces length of stay, healthcare costs, and nursing hours per patient day. Prevention also improves patient outcomes. The minimal costs of the protocol will increase nursing and administrative support for prevention interventions.Nurses are personally motivated by compassion to prevent delirium. In addition, delirious patients require a higher number of nursing hours of care, and increased time for close supervision.Through the educational initiatives of the nursing staff, patients and families will also have a significant role in the implementation of prevention protocols. Nurses can engage families to bring in relevant and familiar personal items and sensory aides from home, as well as educate family members on effective communication and cognitive strategies that may be helpful in avoiding an episode of delirium.Driving and restraining forces have been shown to exert a significant impact on the success of delirium prevention protocols (Holroyd-Leduc et al., 2010). Primary drivers for the educational intervention are the need to reduce healthcare costs and length of stay, to increase patie...
Source: Heart and Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care - Category: Respiratory Medicine Source Type: research