1. Incidence, prevalence, and under-recognition of delirium in urology patients.
- Author
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Vollmer CM, Bond J, Eden BM, Resch DS, Fulk L, Robinson S, and Hughes LE
- Subjects
- Age Distribution, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Comorbidity, Delirium etiology, Documentation, Female, Humans, Incidence, Inpatients statistics & numerical data, Length of Stay statistics & numerical data, Male, Middle Aged, Midwestern United States epidemiology, Nursing Assessment statistics & numerical data, Nursing Records, Prevalence, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Sex Distribution, Delirium diagnosis, Delirium epidemiology, Nursing Assessment methods, Urologic Diseases complications
- Abstract
Unrecognized delirium may lead to negative outcomes, such as increased morbidity, longer hospital stays, and increased health care costs. A prospective cohort design study was used to determine the incidence and prevalence of delirium and percentage of patients with unrecognized delirium in a hospital inpatient unit. The sample consisted of 141 patients admitted to a urology/nephrology unit over a six-week period. Data were collected using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Results showed the incidence of delirium was 6%, and the prevalence was 12% in this sample. Out of 17 patients with delirium, 6 patient records (35%) had no documentation of delirium by physicians. In the nursing assessment, 1 of 17 (6%) had no documentation of any signs/symptoms of delirium. This study provided baseline data for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a delirium recognition program using the CAM. The CAM may represent an easy-to-use, valid, and reliable instrument to detect delirium as part of a routine nursing assessment.
- Published
- 2010