Improving Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Delirium Assessment Performance Through a Multimodal Educational Intervention

Nursing in Critical Care (09/08/2025) Chang, Rui-Ling; Siao, Shu-Fen; Ku, Shih-Chi; et al.

New research highlights the benefits of a multimodal educational intervention for ICU nurses conducting delirium assessments using the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC). Delirium is a common complication in the ICU, especially for older adults and those on ventilation; however, a key challenge is inconsistent assessment. The study, which was conducted at three ICUs in Taiwan, featured a 3-month multimodal educational intervention. The intervention included didactic lectures, difficult scenario reviews, and one-to-one bedside mentoring. Participants were evaluated before and after the intervention, and each ICDSC assessment was combined with an independent assessment by a trained expert nurse. After completing the intervention, there were meaningful improvements in key parts of the ICDSC, including the assessment of altered level of consciousness, inattention, disorientation, psychomotor agitation, and sleep-wake cycle disturbances. The researchers suggest that other strategies may be needed to address the challenges of assessing the very elderly patients and those under physical restraint. "The findings support the integration of tailored delirium education into routine ICU practice to promote more consistent and accurate bedside assessments," the researchers report.

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