IMPORTANCE Delirium is common among older emergency department (ED) patients, is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and frequently goes unrecognized. Anecdotal evidence has described atypical presentations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in older adults; however, the frequency of and outcomes associated with delirium in older ED patients with COVID-19 infection have not been well described. OBJECTIVE To determine how frequently older adults with COVID-19 present to the ED with delirium and their associated hospital outcomes.
The results demonstrate that when staff learn to prevent, identify, manage and document delirium more accurately the fall rate decreases. The practice change, including the use of CAM, was sustained by continuous auditing including re-education, and the re-enforcement of learning along with the implementation of a policy.
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