World Delirium Awareness Day is an annual event in March to raise awareness about delirium and its impact on patients, families, and healthcare systems.

Delirium is described as a serious disturbance in mental abilities that develops rapidly and severely impacts a person’s perception, cognition and awareness. It can result in increased care requirements and longer hospital stays, and contribute to further complications such as falls, pressure injuries, loss of independence, dehydration and malnutrition.

“Patients with delirium can hear and see things that aren’t real. They can feel things that aren’t real and when you put that all together, it can be very much like you’re in a living nightmare,” said Kerryn Busuttil, Director of Nursing & Site Operations Director, Bundoora Centre.

“In hospital, they may think they are not in hospital – instead, they may think they’re in their bed at home, and then they start wondering why there are people in their room.”

Unfortunately, the condition is a challenge to diagnose. In fact, it is frequently misdiagnosed as it can present like a range of other conditions, such as psychosis or depression. Yet it is known that the longer a person is in a delirious state, the bigger the impact it has on their cognitive function. That is why, prevention is key!

What can you do? 

SUSPECT, SPOT and STOP delirium!!!

SUSPECT – Assess patients within two hours of admission.

SPOT – Complete the delirium screening tools – risk assessment and 4AT in the EMR.

STOP – Commence delirium prevention strategies, educate and involve patients and carers.

Did you know?

Did you know that there is a Delirium Clinical Care Standard?

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care established the clinical care program to support clinical experts and consumers develop clinical care standards for health conditions that would benefit from a national coordinated approach.

The Delirium Clinical Care Standard is one of three mandatory standards that Northern Health must comply with.

Want to know more?

• Complete the Delirium and Cognitive Impairment E Learning Package via https://mylearning.nh.org.au
• Visit the Northern Health Intranet Accreditation page via https://intranet.nh.org.au/quality-safety/accreditation/
• Read the Fact Sheet – Standard 5 – Delirium & Cognitive Impairment
• NH Dementia / Delirium & Cognitive Impairment Management procedure
• Delirium Clinical Care Standard

Who are we?

Delirium and Cognitive Impairment Clinical Improvement Committee is a subcommittee under Standard 5 Comprehensive Care.  The purpose of the committee to provide governance over the development or adoption of a system that uses best practice evidence – based improvement strategies in service delivery and minimises harm to patients who have cognitive impairment or are at risk of developing delirium.

Pictured members of the Delirium and cognitive Impairment Clinical Improvement Committee (L-R): Maree Glynn, Director Clinical Practice Improvement, Thi Nguyen, Divisional Director Medicine, Kerryn Busuttil, DON/Site director, Bundoora Centre, Lisa Wilkinson, Personal Assistant, Kim Jeffs, Geriatrician.