Evidence-based nursing combined with cognitive function training can reduce the incidence of delirium in ICU patients...

To explore whether evidence-based nursing combined with cognitive function training can reduce the incidences of delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and improve their cognitive function.

ICU patients in our hospital were randomly divided into an evidence-based nursing group (the E group) and an evidence-based nursing combined with cognitive function training group (the EC group). The incidences of delirium, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) scores, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, the Barthel Index levels, and the nursing satisfaction rates were compared between the two groups.

Before the nursing, there were no significant differences in the MMSE scores, the NIHSS scores, the Barthel Index levels or the PSQI scores between the E group and the EC group (P>0.05). After one week of treatment, the incidences of delirium in the EC group were significantly lower than they were in the E group (P<0.05). The PSQI scores and the NIHSS scores in the EC group were significantly lower than they were in the E group (P<0.001). The MMSE scores and the Barthel Index levels in the EC group were significantly higher than they were in the E group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the nursing satisfaction rates between the two groups (P>0.05).

Compared with using evidence-based nursing only, the combined application of evidence-based nursing and cognitive function training has a significantly better effect on the improvement of neurological function, sleep quality and normal living conditions in ICU patients.