Effectiveness of a Delirium Prevention Initiative on an Inpatient Neuroscience Unit

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Quality Improvement
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Delirium is a common complication in hospitalized patients, particularly neurological patients, leading to adverse outcomes.
• Effective delirium prevention strategies for neurological patients are under-researched.
• Focusing on prevention rather than management is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance nurses' knowledge and confidence in delirium prevention.
• To develop and implement a delirium prevention volunteer program.
• To establish continuous monitoring for quality improvement in delirium care.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project utilizing a pretest-posttest design.
• Interventions included delirium education for nurses and training volunteers for nonpharmacological interventions.
• Sample: 304 patients pre-intervention and 332 patients post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in nursing knowledge (z = 3.967, P < .0005) and confidence (z = 3.989, P < .0005) following education.
• 11 volunteers were trained and provided 99 nonpharmacological interventions to 54 patients.
• Initial evidence suggests nursing education improves delirium prevention capabilities.

Conclusions:

• Nursing education effectively increased nurses' knowledge and confidence in delirium prevention and treatment.
• Trained volunteers showed potential in supporting nonpharmacological delirium prevention interventions.
• Further evaluation is required to ascertain the impact of volunteers on actual delirium rates.