Course Description

Delirium is one of the most common acute care complication and is independently associated with many short- and long-term sequalae including increased risk of mortality, increased prevalence of dementia, and a high-prevalence of acute distress as well as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for patients and families. Despite these concerns, the primary practice gap is one of ineffective processes to achieve meaningfully improved outcomes.

Further, the relationships between pain, agitation, sleep deprivation, and delirium are complex, multidirectional and mediated by many factors including the use of opioid analgesia, use of sedating medications, and other common standards of care. Individuals with delirium often have an impaired ability to self-report pain due to reduced awareness or attention which is concerning because pain is a known risk factor for delirium. Similarly, sleep deprivation is a known risk factor for delirium incidence and increased severity and is also associated with reduced pain tolerance, a relationship thought to be mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. These complex interrelationships of delirium precipitants provide the strongest rationale for multi-component intervention strategies with non-pharmacological approaches being the first line for intervention.

This presentation is designed for collaborative interprofessional care teams across the continuum of care seeking to expand the team's knowledge about delirium, the complex interrelationship between associated risk factors and current standards of care, as well as short- and long-term sequalae associated with delirium. It is further designed to build competency in assessment, prevention, and early intervention strategies that are reflective of collaborative practice and shared decision-making with the patients and families receiving care.