title: Acute confusion assessment instruments: clinical versus research usability.
abstract: Acute confusion (AC), also referred to as delirium (AC/delirium), is a common problem seen by health professionals who work in a variety of care settings. This is an evaluative report on the clinical usability of instruments to assess AC/delirium as a part of nursing practice. Specifically, five instruments [the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Delirium Rating Scale (DRS), Delirium Symptom Inventory (DSI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Neelon/Champagne (NEECHAM) Confusion Scale] are discussed. The work demonstrates how the cooperation of nurses in practice, education, and research can improve both patient and staff outcomes.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wakefield
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kundrat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mentes
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tripp-Reimer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Culp
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mobily
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akins
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Onega
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003221:Confusion / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000592:standards; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results