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W
e've all
seen
patients
with post-op delirium.
They're disoriented
and confused immedi-
ately after surgery.
They have trouble
focusing and are
unable to participate
in their care as they're
either restless and
agitated or too
drowsy to pay atten-
tion. The visible short-term effects of delirium may fade fairly quick-
ly, but research now shows that the risk of mortality increases for
several years following an episode. Patients who experience deliri-
um are also at increased risk of falls and long-lasting cognitive
decline, including dementia. Once home, the hidden symptoms of
delirium may make it difficult for the patient to manage their med-
ications and care for their wounds, impeding a successful recovery.
About half of your patients who are 65 years or older will experience
some level of delirium after surgery. The bad news? There are no med-
ications that prevent or shorten delirium. The good news? The
American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement
Program's (NSQIP) online risk calculator and the Trail Making Test Part
B (TMT Part B) are easy tools that help identify patients most at risk for
Predicting Post-op Delirium Severity
New ways of using old screening tools can help you identify at-risk patients.
Anesthesia Alert
Heidi Lindroth, PhD, RN
• COMFORT MEASURES Efforts to reorient patients as soon as possible after sur-
gery help to lessen the negative impact delirium can have on successful recoveries.
