A qualitative study of nursing staff experiences of delirium in the hospice setting.

Background:: Delirium is a common condition occurring in 13-42% of people admitted to palliative care units and up to 88% of these patients are at the end of their lives. It is frequently unrecognised and distressing to all those affected-patients, families and health professionals. In addition, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding its trajectory and optimal management, both of which can be inconsistent.

Screening for delirium in specialist palliative care inpatient units: perceptions and outcomes.

Objectives: The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) indicate that palliative care patients are at high risk of delirium and should be screened for it using the short confusion assessment method (short CAM). This study aimed to assess the perceptions of the short CAM for delirium screening amongst health-care workers in specialist palliative care inpatient units (SPCUs) and to investigate its use as a screening instrument.

Methods: Patients in 5 SPCUs in the North East of England were screened for delirium using the short CAM and a staff survey assessed the acceptability of the short-CAM in this setting.