Delirium In Nursing

Delirium is a state of acute confusion and disturbance in mental abilities that results in confused thinking and reduced awareness of the environment. It is often left untreated due to the lack of ability of medical professionals to identify signs and symptoms and distinguish it from other similar conditions such as depression or dementia. Understanding the three types of delirium can assist the medical staff in establishing appropriate care for those patients. These types are (a) hyperactive, which entails physical aggressiveness and agitation; (b) hypoactive, in which the patient has poor response and limited activity; and (c) mixed, which is a combination of the two (Lin, W. L., Chan, Y. F., & Wang, J. (2015). Because critically ill elderly patients are prone to develop delirium after admission to the hospital, it is important to monitor them closely to provide early intervention if needed. …show more content…
The reason for the study was identify the risk factors and the frequency it occurred as it may prolong the length of stay. The risk factors were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression method, which took in consideration independent variables amongst the participants. An informed consent was obtained after discussing the research with the patient and the family along with demographic data, medical history, current medications, and laboratory results. Ninety participants were included with an average of 78 years of age. Most of them were transferred to the ICU from the emergency room with a medical diagnosis of respiratory