Mental status change in the elderly: recognizing and treating delirium.
Delirium is a common cause of acute mental status change in hospitalized elderly people, yet the literature and the author's clinical experience suggest that clinical nurses are often unaware of how the syndrome can present, how it differs from other types of mental status changes seen in the elderly, and what interventions are most appropriate in affected individuals. This article discusses these areas, presents original data from a study at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA, concerning nursing assessment of patients with delirium, and outlines a new educational module that nurse specialists, educators, and others can use to teach clinical nurses about delirium in elderly patients.
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Center for the Advancement of Nursing Practice, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009730:Nursing Assessment