Pain should be managed and well-controlled,
Infection finding the source and treating quickly,
Nutrition are they getting all the sustenance that they need,
Constipation are their bowels moving or blocked up inside,
Hydration are they dehydrated, let the fluids flow,
Medication look for deliriogenic medications you might be giving,
Electrolytes the ions out of balance can lead to real trouble.
These are a few of the Delirium things,
Remember night and day for sleep is essential,
Overstimulation is harmful like machine noises in ICU,
Antipsychotics are a big no-no except in the rare time when it is needed,
Sedation, is it required or does it need to continue,
Moving while delirious is a bad idea,
Speaking calmly and creating safety is what needs to be done.
Delirium is a problem but is spoken about like Macbeth,
Can we please use the name, not using it won't kill you but it might cause harm,
Delirium causes patients and families a great amount of alarm,
Its a clinical diagnosis it is not a sentence of death,
Do we need more training and understanding to clear the air?
Delirium is everybody's problem, we all have to tackle it together otherwise we will never get on top of it. We need to understand that the hierarchy from inside the hospital does not transfer here, delirium is a peer problem we are all in this as one. The leaders we select for all that they have done, not what degree they have earned or job they have but the impact in the field that they've had. Delirium heroes come in all shapes and sizes but all have one thing the same, they don't want the patient to suffer again. Delirium undermines then very essence of you, it breaks down your thoughts and inhibits what you can do. The legacy it leaves is long and deeply effecting but we can battle it back by teamwork and not pretending. We can't go on using terms oblique to the problem, pleasantly confused a phrase I never want to rehear, it shows a lack of understanding after all of these years. So please friends join me in standing up to delirium by calling delirium delirium and treating it accordingly.
