Nursing perceptions of non-pharmacologic protocols for delirium in the Intensive Care Unit

Objective: The purpose of this study was to research current non-pharmacologic strategies used to prevent and combat delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting; and to determine how these strategies are perceived and utilized by nurses. A secondary objective was to assess current nursing knowledge of the impact of delirium on patients. Design: A cross-sectional design using a survey of the researcher’s design released on social media with snowballing method for subject recruitment. Subjects: Registered Nurses (RNs) working in the intensive care unit. Measurements and Main results: Data were analyzed using proportions and frequencies. Main findings identified a fragmented approach to delirium management and prevention across respondents as well as a lack of nursing knowledge related to the prevalence of delirium in the ICU. In addition, the positive impact of multi-intervention strategies for delirium management and prevention was also identified. RN perceptions of the impact of delirium management and prevention strategies in their practice area was largely negative. Conclusions: Focused education programs for nurses on the importance and efficacy of multi-intervention protocols for delirium prevention and management is needed. Educational programs should also include the prevalence of delirium in the ICU and its deleterious outcomes to help support bedside caregivers and improve patient outcomes. Future research should focus on provision of a uniform delirium care bundle with focused training of the staff who deliver that care. Keywords: Delirium, Non-Pharmacologic, Nursing, Education, Prevention, Managemen