Delirium in Adult Critical Care Unit: Prevalence and Outcomes at Regional Hospital

Abstract

Background: Delirium is an acute confusional state that affects 30-80% of admitted patients to intensive care units. According to the literature, delirium may worsen patients’ and hospital outcomes. No research studies regarding delirium prevalence and outcomes were found in Oman. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence and outcomes of delirium in Adult patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a regional hospital. Methodology: This study followed an observational longitudinal design. A consecutive sampling method for six months was used for selecting Adult Intensive Care Unit (AICU) patients after 48 hours of ICU admission and a total of 76 patients aged 18 years and older were included. Confusion Assessment Method in Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) instrument (CAM-ICU worksheet and Daily Assessment Checklist) was used for assessing patients’ prevalence and outcomes of delirium. A training program was provided for adult intensive care doctors and nurses regarding using the CAM-ICU tool one month before the study. Social Packages for the Social Sciences Program (SPSS) version 20 was used for data analysis. Results: More than half of the participants were male (63%), while the age group above 65 years (42%) had more positive cases. Results indicated a high prevalence of delirium in AICU (77%) of admitted patients. Outcomes of delirium in AICU indicated two outcomes, duration in AICU and ventilation days. Duration in ICU (M= 15.53, SD= 21.27) while ventilation days indicated a (M=13.30, SD=20.69). The result indicated a significant positive relationship between age, duration days in ICU, and ventilation days to delirium (p=0.001). Conclusion: The results from this study indicated a high prevalence of delirium in AICU and delirium is associated with longer duration in AICU and longer ventilation days. Identifying delirium prevalence and outcomes can enhance the early management of delirium and improve patients’ and hospital outcomes. In addition, results from this study can improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers in using the CAM-ICU assessment as a valid tool for assessing delirium in Intensive care unit (ICU) patients.