Delirium risk screening and assessment among older patients in general wards and the emergency department: a best practice implementation project

Objectives:The aim of this project was to improve compliance with evidence-based criteria regarding risk of delirium and the assessment of delirium among older patients in the general hospitalization wards and the emergency department.Introduction:More than 50% of older hospitalized patients experience delirium. Some studies have highlighted the need to implement an orientation protocol in the emergency department and to continue this in the general wards, with the aim of decreasing the delirium rate among older patients admitted to hospital.Methods:The project followed the JBI evidence implementation framework. We conducted a baseline audit, a half-way audit, and final audit of 50 patients at risk of delirium admitted to the emergency department and the general wards, respectively. The audits measured compliance with eight criteria informed by the available evidence.Results:In the final audit, three of the eight criteria achieved more than 50% compliance in the general wards: pressure injury screening (96%); monitoring changes (74%); and performing interventions (76%). In the emergency department, worse results were reported because of the service conditions. The exception was the criterion on the training of nurses on the topic, with 98%. The integration of a tool to screen for delirium in older patients in the hospital's electronic clinical history records increased the percentage of compliance with audit criteria regarding the use of the scale and delirium detection (rising from 0% to 32% in the final audit in the general wards).Conclusion:Through the implementation of this project, validated and evidence-based evaluation will ensure that nurses are supported through appropriate measures to reduce patient confusion and aggression resulting from delirium.