Diagnosing dehydration in the nursing home: international consensus based on a modified Delphi study
Simone J C Paulis1, Irma H J Everink2, Ruud J G Halfens2
1Department of Health Services Research and Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. s.paulis@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
European Geriatric Medicine
|April 17, 2020
Summary
A new international consensus provides a standard diagnostic strategy for dehydration in nursing home residents. This method uses patient history, physical symptoms, and blood tests to accurately diagnose dehydration, improving resident care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Clinical Medicine
- Nursing Science
Background:
- Dehydration is a significant health issue for nursing home residents.
- A lack of a standardized diagnostic method hinders effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish international consensus on a reliable method for diagnosing dehydration in nursing home residents.
Main Methods:
- An international Delphi study involving 53 experts (physicians and advanced nurse practitioners).
- Experts evaluated various diagnostic methods for relevance and feasibility.
- A step-by-step diagnostic strategy was developed and refined over three rounds.
Main Results:
- Consensus was reached on nine anamnestic items, eight physical symptoms, and three blood tests.
- A step-by-step diagnostic strategy was agreed upon by 24 experts in the final round.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first international consensus on a dehydration diagnosis strategy for nursing homes.
- The strategy includes a presumption phase (history, symptoms) and a confirmation phase (blood tests).
- Individual resident characteristics and care environment factors must be considered for accurate diagnosis.
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