The uptake and utility of a protocol for delirium prevention: an evaluation study

Purpose: The purpose is to report the findings of a study designed to evaluate the uptake and utility of a delirium alert protocol for delirium prevention. Research design: A mixed methods design was used in this evaluation study. Intervention: An audit of patient records provided evaluation data before and after implementation of the Delirium Alert Protocol (DAP). Clinical nurses were surveyed to determine uptake and utility of the DAP. A focus group was conducted with clinicians to determine their perceptions of the DAP. Context: The setting for the study was a busy medical ward in a large tertiary referral hospital in NSW Australia. Participants: Participants for the study included 26 clinical nurses. Outcomes: Findings revealed an increase in the diagnosis of delirium and use of interventions for the prevention of delirium. The survey revealed an increased knowledge of delirium and a high level of satisfaction with the DAP. The focus group suggests that “delirium” is referred to more often and that nurses took a more active role in preventing delirium. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest Participatory Action Research (PAR), used to develop the DAP, may be an effective approach to practice change.