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Delirium Research Sections
Author Bio
Currently selected section: Introduction
Definition And Clinical Features
Patient Population
Consent For Participation
Assessment for Delirium
Clinical Characteristics And Etiology
Management of Delirium
Other Study Implications
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Delirium Research Questions: Introduction
        

The implications of delirium are summarized in Figure 1a below.

Figure 1a: Implications of delirium for patients, family and staff
Implications of delirium for patient: interference with communication, time lost, increased investigations (e.g., blood tests, CT scans etc), increased interventions (e.g., iv line, opioid changes, sedation). For family: interference with communication, time lost, interpretation of patient distress, increased stress, increased risk of conflict with staff, possible implications for bereavement. For staff: difficulty of interpreting symptoms, increased risk of conflict with relatives, increased stress.

The presence of delirium in a patient makes assessment of other symptoms difficult for medical and nursing staff. The fact that delirium is reversible or can be improved with specific treatment in a considerable number of patients is an important concept. Better understanding, early identification, and management of delirium may improve quality of life for patients and family members and reduce stress for those involved in patient care.

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