Delirium: a review of the nurses role in the intensive care unit

This article aims to review current literature into the use of assessment tools for the diagnosis of delirium and the implications of care for the patient with delirium.

Delirium is a common often misdiagnosed, unrecognised and misunderstood condition in the critical care setting that has been associated with increased mortality and cognitive dysfunction.

Delirium has implications for increasing cost to the National Health Service as it is linked to prolonged ventilation and the associated risks and increased hospital stay.

Nurses play a key role in identification of delirium using CAM-ICU, a valid and reliable tool and identifying modifiable risks to improve the delirious ICU patient's outcome.