The Lived Experience of Delirium

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The exploration of the lived experience of delirium by patients, families, nurses and junior doctors to inform the development of an educational package and delirium pathway.

• IRAS ID

  211690

• Research summary

  The purpose of this study is to understand delirium from the perspectives of patients, family members, qualified nurses and junior doctors from a range of specialities in an acute hospital including: elderly care, respiratory, cardiac and renal.\n\nDelirium, also known as acute confusion is a common serious and often fatal condition that affects as many as 50% of people over the age of 65 years who are admitted to hospital. Delirium is under recognised by nurses and is sometimes mistaken for dementia, although delirium can occur in people with dementia. Identifying the differences between dementia and delirium is essential as assessments and clinical management are distinct.\n\nEducation and training impacts on the care patients with delirium receive and improves their outcomes in Intensive Care Departments and on Orthopaedic wards, but there is little or no information on patients with delirium in other specialities such as: renal, cardiac, respiratory and elderly care.\n\nThis study proposes to interview patients, their family members, nurses and doctors from four specialities to understand their experience of delirium. This process will identify the needs of staff, patients and family members, and inform the development of a training and education package and delirium pathway to support and improve the care for patients with delirium at Royal Berkshire Hospital.

• REC name

  London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/LO/1804

• Date of REC Opinion

  21 Oct 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion