ORCID
0009-0004-4404-2533
Date of Award
Spring 5-4-2025
Document Type
Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Advisor
Dr. Bonnie Fagan
First Committee Member
Dr. Deana Batross
Second Committee Member
Dr. Regina Prusinski
Third Committee Member
Dr. Joy Shoemaker
Keywords
delirium, hospital-acquired delirium, prevention, screening, geriatric
Subject Categories
Geriatric Nursing | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing
Abstract
Hospital-acquired delirium affects older adult patients, across the healthcare continuum. The incidence in frail older adults is high, costly, and often deemed preventable. Hospital-acquired delirium is associated with a multitude of short- and long-term complications, resulting in an increased rate of morbidity and mortality. The challenges of early recognition and management are prevalent in healthcare literature. While published guidelines exist, hospital systems continue to struggle with the standardization of geriatric delirium care. Given medical-surgical nursing is the cornerstone of hospital care, it is imperative to establish a standardized delirium prevention and management guideline, at this level of care, to optimize geriatric outcomes. This final scholarly project proposes a quality improvement initiative aimed at establishing an evidence-based approach to inpatient delirium care, utilizing the PDSA model as a structured method for change management. Predicted results include improved awareness of delirium risk, decreased rates of delirium incidence, shorter duration of delirium symptoms, and decreased rates of associated complications. The implications of project implementation include the application of evidence-based inpatient delirium care, as well as improved health outcomes in the geriatric population.
Acknowledgement 1
1
Acknowledgement 2
1
Licensing Permission
Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use
Recommended Citation
West, Sarah K., "A Multicomponent Quality Improvement Initiative for the Early Identification, Prevention, and Management of Delirium in the Medical-Surgical Setting" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 154.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_doc/154
Poster