Delirium or acute cognitive dysfunction is a syndrome commonly seen in hospitalized clients; it is reversible but difficult to diagnose.
Clients may manifest delirium states that can be
hypoactive (eg, quiet, disorientation, change in level of consciousness, memory loss),
hyperactive (eg, restlessness, agitation, hallucinations, paranoia), or mixed.
Manifestations of delirium develop acutely and are difficult to differentiate from those associated with pain, anxiety, and medications.
Early diagnosis and treatment are advantageous as delirium is associated with increased mortality (especially in critically ill clients on mechanical ventilation). Delirium is difficult to assess; it is recommended that nurses use a standardized tool (eg, Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU) or checklist (eg, Intensive Care Delirium Screening) for this purpose.
- (Option 1) Amnesia affects short- and long-term memory loss. It can be intentionally induced by drug use or may occur as a result of trauma or underlying physical/psychological disease processes. Amnesia is not the most likely condition manifested by this client.
- (Option 3) In contrast to delirium, dementia is gradual in onset and causes an irreversible and progressive cognitive decline. Remote memory is spared initially and there is no impairment of consciousness until the late stages of the disease.
- (Option 4) Psychosis does not have an acute onset. Clients with this condition are usually oriented but have auditory (not visual) hallucinations. It is not likely in this client.
Educational objective:
New-onset confusion regarding sense of place and time, difficulty focusing, short-term memory loss, and increasing lethargy can be manifestations of delirium in a critically ill client who was previously alert and oriented.
Delirium or acute cognitive dysfunction is a syndrome commonly seen in hospitalized clients; it is reversible but difficult to diagnose.
Clients may manifest delirium states that can be
hypoactive (eg, quiet, disorientation, change in level of consciousness, memory loss),
hyperactive (eg, restlessness, agitation, hallucinations, paranoia), or mixed.
Manifestations of delirium develop acutely and are difficult to differentiate from those associated with pain, anxiety, and medications.
Early diagnosis and treatment are advantageous as delirium is associated with increased mortality (especially in critically ill clients on mechanical ventilation). Delirium is difficult to assess; it is recommended that nurses use a standardized tool (eg, Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU) or checklist (eg, Intensive Care Delirium Screening) for this purpose.
- (Option 1) Amnesia affects short- and long-term memory loss. It can be intentionally induced by drug use or may occur as a result of trauma or underlying physical/psychological disease processes. Amnesia is not the most likely condition manifested by this client.
- (Option 3) In contrast to delirium, dementia is gradual in onset and causes an irreversible and progressive cognitive decline. Remote memory is spared initially and there is no impairment of consciousness until the late stages of the disease.
- (Option 4) Psychosis does not have an acute onset. Clients with this condition are usually oriented but have auditory (not visual) hallucinations. It is not likely in this client.
Educational objective:
New-onset confusion regarding sense of place and time, difficulty focusing, short-term memory loss, and increasing lethargy can be manifestations of delirium in a critically ill client who was previously alert and oriented.
