Date of Award
Spring 2024
Document Type
DNP Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Committee Chairperson
Veronica Wilbur, Ph.D., APRN-FNP, CNE, FAANP
Committee Member
Jacqueline Owens, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC
Abstract
This quality improvement project was implemented to determine non-pharmacological sleep interventions' impact on delirium incidence in a medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU). The Confusion Assessment Method-ICU (CAM-ICU), a validated tool used to detect delirium, was used to assess patient mental status both before and after project implementation. This tool is utilized in the electronic medical record as a daily documentation tool for delirium tracking but has not been used to facilitate interventions for delirium. The literature has shown that through the use of non-pharmacologic sleep promotion and interventions, delirium diagnosis can be delayed or avoided. This can lead to decreased morbidity and mortality and better patient outcomes. The CAM-ICU tool was used on every eligible ICU patient, every shift, for eight weeks, unless restricted by their medical provider. Non-pharmacological sleep interventions were implemented to assess the impact on a patient’s CAM-ICU score. The pre-implementation delirium rate was derived from CAM- ICU positive scores on ICU patients between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. Data was collected for eight weeks post-implementation. Implementation of non-pharmacological sleep interventions had a statistically significant impact on the incidence of delirium as measured by CAM-ICU.
Recommended Citation
Walsh, Rebecca, "Safeguarding Sleep: A Comparative Analysis of a Non-pharmacological Sleep Protocol in the ICU to Prevent Delirium" (2024). West Chester University Doctoral Projects. 236.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_doctoral/236