A nurse-led interdisciplinary intervention program for delirium in elderly hip-fracture patients

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Nursing Research
• Trauma Care

Background:

• Delirium is a common complication in older adults with hip fractures.
• Early recognition and management are crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a nurse-led interdisciplinary intervention for delirium in older hip-fracture patients.
• To assess the intervention's impact on delirium incidence, severity, duration, cognitive function, functional status, mortality, and length of stay.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal prospective before/after study design was employed.
• The study included 120 older hip-fracture patients (60 intervention, 60 usual care).
• Intervention components included staff education, cognitive screening, delirium specialist consultation, and a pain protocol.

Main Results:

• The intervention did not significantly reduce delirium incidence (20.0% vs 23.3%).
• However, it significantly decreased delirium duration (P=.03) and severity (P=.0049).
• Improved cognitive functioning and a trend toward shorter hospital stays were observed in the intervention group.

Conclusions:

• The nurse-led intervention effectively reduced delirium severity and duration in older hip-fracture patients.
• This highlights the benefits of early recognition and management of delirium.
• The study confirms the reversibility of delirium with targeted interventions.