Nursing assessment and intervention in the management of delirium in intensive care: a quantitative study

Background: Delirium remains underdiagnosed and neglected in intensive care units (ICUs), significantly affecting the prognosis and recovery of critically ill patients. Objectives: To assess nurses’ knowledge of scales used to assess delirium in critically ill patients and to identify reasons for not using them, risk factors for delirium, and nursing interventions used. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, exploratory, and cross-sectional study involving 115 nurses from an ICU. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire. Results: It was found that 44.3% of nurses were familiar with a scale for assessing delirium in critically ill patients, with the most commonly cited scale being the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. Only 5.2% of nurses used a delirium assessment scale, and the most frequently reported nursing intervention was “Promote a quiet environment” (57.9%). Conclusion: Although nurses often do not assess delirium or assess it inadequately, they still implement interdependent and autonomous interventions to care for critically ill patients with delirium.