Non-pharmacological Measures for the Prevention of Delirium in Frail Hospitalized Adults. Nursing Care (PREDELENF)

Background: Delirium is one of the most frequent, relevant, and increasing geriatric syndromes in hospitalized older adults. It is an indicator of poor prognosis, and its incidence increases with aging. It is a highly prevalent problem (between 10-56% of hospitalized elderly), underdiagnosed (32-66% undetected), with severe consequences and potentially preventable (between 30-40%). It is considered a priority health objective, as it is an indicator of elderly patient safety and an indicator of healthcare quality. Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze whether a multicomponent nursing-led intervention reduces the incidence of delirium in frail older patients hospitalized in a medical unit. Design: Pre-post quasi-experimental analytical study. Study setting: The study will be conducted in a polyvalent hospitalization unit at the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital during the 2023-2025 period. Patients: A total of 158 patients will be needed, i.e., 79 for each group. Sampling: Consecutive intentional sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Variables: Sociodemographic variables, delirium risk factors, daily presence of delirium using the CAM scale, and hospital stay duration, among others, will be collected. Procedure: Patients will be selected upon admission, and the presence of delirium will be assessed daily using the CAM scale, with results recorded. Nursing staff will be trained on non-pharmacological measures for delirium prevention and a specific care plan. Subsequently, the second group of patients will receive these specific interventions, and the presence of delirium will be assessed daily using the CAM scale, with results recorded. Data analysis: Descriptive and inferential analysis using the PSPP statistical package version 22. A significance level of 5% will be applied.