A Preoperative, Nurse-Led Intervention Program Reduces Acute Postoperative Delirium

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Patient Care

Background:

• Postoperative delirium is a common complication in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.
• Effective prevention strategies for acute postoperative delirium are crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a preoperative, multidisciplinary intervention program in reducing the incidence and severity of acute postoperative delirium.
• To assess the impact of standardized delirium risk factor management on ICU patients undergoing surgery.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 122 ICU patients at a Chinese teaching general hospital.
• Intervention included staff education, cognitive care, environmental safety, social support, and sleep quality improvement.
• Delirium incidence and severity were monitored using the Delirium Detection Score.

Main Results:

• Patients in the intervention group showed significantly lower Delirium Detection Scores compared to the control group (p < .01).
• The severity of delirium was significantly reduced in the intervention group within 24 hours post-surgery (p < .01).

Conclusions:

• A preoperative, multidisciplinary intervention program is effective in preventing and reducing the incidence and severity of acute postoperative delirium.
• Systematic and comprehensive management of delirium risk factors can significantly improve outcomes for surgical patients in the ICU.