We've compiled a list of additional resources related to delirium research, treatment and care. All links open in a new tab. To suggest additional resources that may be helpful, please submit these via our contact page.
NOTE: A variety of health and research organizations prepared the information on the following sites. As such, the information contained therein does not necessarily reflect the views of NIDUS.
Links to Resources
AHRQ Screening for delirium, dementia, and depression in older adults
Developed by The National Guideline Clearinghouse. An initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contains delirium research resources, clinical practice guidelines, and related documents.
American Journal of Health: Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Sustained Use of Sedatives and Analgesics in the Critically Ill Adult
Published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacist (Volume 59, Jan 15, 2002). Provides clinical practice guidelines for the sustained use of sedatives and analgesics in the critically-ill adult.
American Psychiatric Association (APA) Practice Guideline for Delirium
This practice guideline, developed by the APA in 1999. Provides an overview to approaches for delirium as of 1999.
Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines for Delirium Management
A 121-page guideline. Developed specifically for the Australian health care environment by the Clinical Epidemiology and Health Service Evaluation Unit, Melbourne Health in collaboration with the Delirium Clinical Guidelines Expert Working Group. The first set of national (Australian) clinical practice guidelines for the management of delirium in older people. (2006)
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare - Delirium Clinical Care Standard
One of several clinical care standards developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare. Developed by a working group of clinicians, researchers and consumers using current evidence from standards and guidelines, evidence gaps in the scientific literature, and consideration of issues that are important to consumers.
The British Geriatric Society: Delirium Diagnosis and Management
A 2006 update to previous version of “Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of delirium in the elderly.” Guidelines focus on initial identification of cognitive impairment. Specifically, the use of the CAM to screen high-risk patients and to investigate possible cause of delirium.
Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the Intensive Care Unit (SCCM)
In 2018, SCCM published the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the Intensive Care Unit. Provides a road map for developing integrated, evidence-based, and patient-centered protocols for preventing and treating pain, agitation and delirium in critically ill patients.
Critical Care Innovations Group at UCSF: Preventing Delirium
Created by the Critical Care Innovations Group. A guide on preventing ICU Delirium for critical care providers. It includes information on delirium research resources, delirium risk factors, preventing, screening for and treating delirium.
Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) Training Manual and Forms
The instrument, training manuals, and recommendations for use of the CAM, CAM-S, 3D-CAM and FAM-CAM. Available for free through the Hospital Elder Life Program. Requires free, quick site registration to view the materials.
Delirium ABCDEF Bundle Program Implementation Toolkit Version 1.0, Society of Hospital Medicine
The Baylor Research Institute and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) are pleased to provide this resource to help accelerate adoption of a specific set of patient safety practices (collectively termed the ABCDEF bundle) to mitigate delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU). Allows you to impact care at both the individual patient and the institutional levels. It is intended for the broad, multidisciplinary spectrum of personnel involved in hospital-based quality improvement and patient safety efforts. Ranging from frontline care providers to executive leaders.
Delirium Care Network
An online portal with delirium research resources for health care professionals, patients or family members. Teaches about delirium prevention, treatment, and research. This site also includes useful infographics and other downloadable, shareable media suited for educational purposes.
Delirium Reduction Initiative at University of California San Francisco Medical Center
The UCSF Medical Center is implementing an interdisciplinary delirium care pathway with the goal of reducing delirium on adult acute and transitional care units. This site contains educational resources on delirium screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Also contains clinical information about their delirium reduction program.
Delirium Awareness Video (#Icanpreventdelirium)
A short, 5-minute video designed to help improve recognition and management of delirium in healthcare settings. Useful for healthcare workers, patients and family caregivers, as well as the general public.
Emergency Department Delirium (Vanderbilt ED Delirium Study Group)
Developed by the Vanderbilt University Emergency Department Delirium Study Group. This delirium research resources website has information specific to delirium in the ED setting. Includes brief screening and triage tools, background information, and additional resources.
Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)
HELP is a comprehensive, evidence-based, patient-care program. It provides optimal care for older persons in the hospital. Dr. Sharon K. Inouye and her colleagues at the Yale University School of Medicine originally designed HELP to prevent delirium among hospitalized older persons.
Hospital Medicine Reengineering Network (HOMERuN)
Established in 2011 to advance the field of Hospital Medicine by facilitating and conducting collaborative, rigorous, inter-professional, multi-site, research studies which improve outcomes of patients with acute illnesses. HOMERuN research focuses on developing, evaluating, and disseminating innovations in healthcare delivery that encompass the entirety of patients’ acute illness.
Isle of Wight Cinical Guideline for Delirium Care
A summary guideline produced by Isle of Wight Healthcare, NHS Trust. Assists clinicians in routinely screening patients at risk for developing delirium and for developing appropriate plans of care and treatment.
MindEd for Families: Delirium
Guide on what delirium is and how to identify it. Also, it outlines what to expect during a delirium episode for patients, family, caregivers and the general public. MindEd also has informative resources for other common mental health concerns for older people.
Minnesota Hospital Association Quality and Patient Safety Initiatives: Delirium
The Minnesota Hospital Association has collected a variety of delirium research resources to educate health professionals about delirium. These include free online videos on delirium care, fall prevention, recognizing, assessing and managing delirium. It also has a delirium toolkit of online resources for family education, delirium assessment and management in a variety of hospital settings including the ED and ICU.
Mobilization-Network.org
An open forum for all professionals interested in early mobilization and rehabilitation of mechanically ventilated intensive care patients. Allows professionals to share information and experiences, find resources, create and implement clinical guidelines, and develop new and better approaches to the care of ICU patients. The site also contains news, updates, and resources from the field, including a publication list of ICU and Delirium publications.
National Cancer Institute - Supportive Care Statement for Health Professionals
Discusses the prevalence of delirium in elderly patients with comorbid diagnoses of cancer. Site content includes definitions, epidemiology, and etiology of delirium, information on the impact of delirium on patient, family, and healthcare personnel, diagnosis and monitoring of delirious patients, and disease management.
National Guidelines for Seniors' Mental Health: The assessment and treatment of delirium
The Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health facilitated the development of this 87-page document. Clinical practice guideline to improve the assessment, treatment, management, and prevention of key mental health issues for seniors. Written by interdisciplinary teams of health care professionals.
NICE Guidelines for Delirium
Clinical Guidelines for Delirium published by the NHS National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. NICE guideline recommendations cover the care of adults (18 and over) with, or at risk of, delirium in hospital and in long-term residential care or a nursing home. The guidelines describe methods of preventing, identifying, diagnosing and managing delirium.
Optimal Perioperative Management of the Geriatric Patient: Best Practice Guidelines from ACS NSQIP/American Geriatrics Society
Best practice guidelines to prevent and treat postoperative delirium in older patients. Developed in collaboration by the American College of Surgeons and American Geriatrics Society.
Outcomes after Critical Illness and Surgery Group (OACIS), Johns Hopkins Medicine
OACIS is a multidisciplinary clinical and research group focused on understanding and improving patient outcomes after critical illness and surgery. Activities include clinical quality improvement projects and research focused on longitudinal, long-term patient outcomes assessments, both locally and nationally, with evaluation of physical, cognitive, and mental health outcomes.
Quality Improvement in Neurology: Inpatient and Emergency Care Quality Measure Set
In 2015, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), Neurocritical Care Society (NCS), and Neurohospitalist Society (NHS) formed an Inpatient and Emergency Neurology Work Group. This group reviewed existing guidelines, current evidence, and gaps in care to develop a measurement set for inpatient and emergency neurology. The resulting quality measurement set (published Aug. 2017) aims to promote quality improvement and drive better outcomes for neurologically ill patients in inpatient and emergency settings. At the same time, it aims to provide a roadmap for improving care at national, regional, and local levels. Two of the proposed quality metrics focus specifically on delirium.
Scottish Delirium Association Delirium Management Pathways
Care pathways for the management of delirium in adult patients in a hospital setting. Developed by the Scottish Delirium Association in collaboration with Health Improvement Scotland (HIS).
The 4AT Rapid Assessment Test for Delirium
A brief, validated instrument for delirium detection. More information and instrument download available at this site.
Think Delirium
An educational website on delirium for patients, family, caregivers, and healthcare professionals
Vanderbilt ICU Delirium and Cognitive Impairment Study Group
Developed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Veterans Affairs TN Valley Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC). Provides information on delirium in the intensive care setting. Also includes an online training manual for the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU), a delirium monitoring instrument for ICU patients.