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Project

Investigating psychological risk factors and testing the efficacy of an e-learning program to improve the detection and prediction of delirium in hospitalized elderly

Delirium is the most common neurocognitive complication in the hospital, affecting 11% to 68% of surgical, 29% to 64% of medical, and up to 88% of intensive care and palliative care unit patients. To date, prevention through modification of identified risk factors and an early detection are the most effective strategies to avoid the onset of delirium and its associated complications. Within these strategies, nurses play a pivotal role. Indeed, because of their continuous contacts with patients, they are key in identifying and targeting risk factors and observing early signs of delirium such as acute disturbances and fluctuations in consciousness, cognition and behaviour. However, delirium remains poorly prevented and frequently unrecognized in daily practice. Hence, permanent investments in delirium prevention and early detection are crucial to optimize delirium management in day-to-day care.

This PhD project aimed to investigate three important nursing aspects of delirium prevention and detection by 1) determining if preoperative psychological factors (i.e. anxiety, depression) are risk factors for postoperative delirium in older cardiac surgery and hip fracture patients, 2) evaluating the psychometrics and ease-of-use of two observation-based delirium screening tools for the detection of delirium when performed by bedside nurses in routine daily practice, and 3) by investigating the impact of delirium education through a newly developed e-learning tool on nursing and patient outcomes in delirium care.

Date:15 Mar 2009 →  15 Jun 2017
Keywords:Delirium, Prevention, Early detection
Disciplines:Public health care
Project type:PhD project