Delirium Index
The Delirium Index is an instrument for the measurement of severity of symptoms of delirium that is based solely upon observation of the individual patient, without additional information from family members, nursing staff or the patient's medical chart.
Delirium Prevention Program
Delirium Prevention in Long Term Care
The Delirium Prevention Program is a program developed for nurses and nursing aids who work in long term care centres. It includes a series of integrated nursing tools to reduce the incidence of delirium among cognitively impaired residents in long term care.
The tools in the prevention program are available for download further below.
Read more about the program and its development in this short report.
The Decision Tree
The core tool in the Delirium Prevention Program is the Decision Tree including the Delirium Risk Screening Tool and the Evaluation of Modifiable Risk Factors. Download a copy of the Decision Tree.
Delirium Risk Screening (1st part of the Decision Tree)
The Delirium Risk Screening section allows nurses to identify residents who are at increased risk of developing delirium. This tool predicts the future development of delirium among cognitively impaired residents initially without delirium. It comprises 5 items that are either already known to nursing staff or that can be easily completed by consulting the resident's chart:
Evaluation of Modifiable Risk Factors (2nd part of the Decision Tree)
This section of the Decision Tree should be completed for residents who are at risk. Use the Evaluation and Intervention Guide to complete this second section.
The Evaluation Guide and Intervention Guide
The team developed an Evaluation and Intervention Guide to help nurses through the evaluation of the 4 modifiable risk factors and the selection of specific intervention to reduce them.
Download the guide for detailed instructions on completing the second part of the Decision Tree
The PowerPoint presentation for training
The program is accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation which can be used to train nurses and nursing aids on the Delirium Prevention Program. Each slide in the presentation includes a suggested script (see notes with each slide) that may be used by the trainer.
For tips on successful implementation of the program, read the last sections of the report
Training Video
Presented by researcher Philippe Voyer and describing the Delirium Prevention Program.
Training Video (in French)
Additional tools
We have prepared a number of additional tools that can be placed in the nursing station.