Clinical Pearls is designed to help implement evidence-based care at the bedside by summarizing some of the most clinically useful material from select articles in each issue. Readers are encouraged to photocopy this ready-to-post page and share it with colleagues. Please be advised, however, that any substantive change in patient care protocols should be carefully reviewed and approved by the policy-setting authorities at your institution.
Delirium is the most common postoperative psychiatric condition in intensive care units (ICUs) and can lead to increased complications and costs. Chevillon and colleagues found that multifaceted education on what patients can expect in the ICU before surgery may decrease delirium and anxiety, and shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation. Patients with hearing impairments are at increased risk of postoperative delirium, as well as longer duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. The authors recommend the following:
See Article, pp 164–171
What evidence can you...
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