Authors
Basma Salameh
Daifallah M. Al Razeeni
Khulud Mansor
Jihad M. Abdallah
Ahmad Ayed
Hiba Salem
Pages From
393
Pages To
402
ISSN
0887-9303
Journal Name
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Volume
44
Issue
4
Keywords
delirium, delirium assessment tool, intensive care unit
Abstract

Delirium is an indicator of morbidity and mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. It can lead to negative outcomes and longer hospital stays, thus increasing hospital costs. Despite national recommendations for daily assessment of delirium, it remains underdiagnosed. Many studies point to a lack of knowledge among health care professionals to accurately detect and manage ICU delirium. The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Palestinian health care professionals regarding ICU delirium. The results of a cross-section observational study revealed that delirium appears to be often underrecognized or misdiagnosed in ICUs in Palestine. Therefore, it is critical to further educate the medical and nursing teams and to promote the use of validated tools that can aid in the assessment of this condition. In this way, the length of hospital stays and related health care costs can be reduced.