Delirium management : nursing interventions and factors influencing their implementation from the nurses' perspectives

Abstract

Delirium is a common and serious complication in clinical practice. Adequate nursing interventions for the prevention, early detection and treatment of deliriums are central to delirium management programmes. Little is known about the factors that influence the implementation of delirium management interventions. This study aimed to explore how nurses trained in delirium management experience the implementation of nursing interventions for the prevention and treatment of deliriums, how they proceed with this and which factors have an impact on this. Four focus group interviews with 27 nurses from a Swiss hospital were conducted, and data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The results show a structured nursing care process and the associated structured nursing care planning are central factors for ensuring the adequate implementation of nursing delirium management interventions. Experience and knowledge, organisational framework conditions, and aspects of collaboration are other relevant influencing factors. Lack of expertise and experience, coupled with insufficient resources, emerged as the most important influencing factors, which mainly affect the recognition of delirium risk and prevention. Here it is important to deepen specialized knowledge and optimize the available resources