Cognitive screening in persons with an amputation: A retrospective medical record audit.

Objective: To determine the rate of cognitive screening undertaken with patients undergoing amputation and to determine the demographics of the sample.

Study Design: Retrospective medical record audit.

Methods: The medical records of a convenience sample of persons who had undergone amputation, upper and lower limb, from one local health district were reviewed. The sample date range was between January 1st, 2017, and December 31st, 2018. The incidence and type of cognitive screening were also recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the results.

Results: A total of 178 episodes of amputation care were identified during retrospective medical record auditing (mean age, 69.7 years). Thirty nine of the 178 (21.9%) episodes of care had a cognitive screening measure completed during that inpatient admission (24.2% vascular etiology and 12% nonvascular etiology). All cognitive screens were completed in persons with lower-limb amputations and were completed postoperatively.

Conclusion: Cognitive screening is not a routine part of the health care journey for patients with an amputation in this health care district.