Abstract

Delirium in the elderly can impact health outcomes, making it essential for healthcare workers to identify and manage delirium early. At the project site, there was no evidence based approach to the early identification of delirium. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine if the translation of Neefjes et al.'s research using the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOSS) would impact the identification of delirium with provider notification among adult patients in a hospice facility in South Texas over four weeks. Virginia Henderson's need theory and Kurt Lewin's change theory provided the theoretical foundations for the project. Data was obtained from the electronic health record. The total sample size was 45, with n = 20 in the comparative group and n= 25 in the implementation group. A chi-square test was used to analyze the data. The results were both clinically and statistically significant in identifying delirium χ2 (1, N = 45) = 11.82, p = .001. In addition, 100% of patients identified with delirium in this project had interventions prescribed within an hour by a provider. The implementation of the DOSS may improve the identification of delirium in this population and setting. Recommendations include the adoption of DOSS by hospice agencies, educating and empowering nurses to use the DOSS. It is also recommended that the project be repeated with a larger sample size over an extended period.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 28970787; ProQuest document ID: 2641878429. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Elsie E. Glasu-Atunuwa, DNP, RN-BC

Sigma Membership

Theta Theta

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Quasi-Experimental Study, Other

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Delirium Screening, Screening Tools, Palliative Care

Advisor

Kristy Williams

Second Advisor

Katherine Fetter

Third Advisor

JoAnna Cartwright

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Grand Canyon University

Degree Year

2022

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2023-09-20

Full Text of Presentation

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