[Nursing workload indices TISS-10, TISS-28, and NEMS : Higher workload with agitation and delirium is not reflected].

Background: Financial resources for the treatment of ICU patients requiring high nursing workload are allocated within the German diagnostic-related groups (DRG) system in part through the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System-10 (TISS-10). TISS-10, however, has never been validated. This study evaluated whether delirium and agitation in ICU were reflected by TISS-10, and also by the established workload indices TISS-28 and Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower (NEMS).

Implications of objective vs subjective delirium assessment in surgical intensive care patients.

Background: Delirium is an independent predictor of increased length of stay, mortality, and treatment costs in critical care patients. Its incidence may be underestimated or overestimated if delirium is assessed by using subjective clinical impression alone rather than an objective instrument.

Objectives: To determine frequency of discrepancies between subjective and objective delirium monitoring.