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Implementation, reliability testing, and compliance monitoring of the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit in trauma patients

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Abstract

Objective

To implement delirium monitoring, test reliability, and monitor compliance of performing the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) in trauma patients.

Design and setting

Prospective, observational study in a level 1 trauma unit of a tertiary care, university-based medical center.

Patients

Acutely injured patients admitted to the trauma unit between 1 February 2006 and 16 April 2006.

Measurements and results

Following web-based teaching modules and group in-services, bedside nurses evaluated patients daily for depth of sedation with the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) and for the presence of delirium with the CAM-ICU. On randomly assigned days over a 10-week period, evaluations by nursing staff were followed by evaluations by an expert evaluator of the RASS and the CAM-ICU to assess compliance and reliability of the CAM-ICU in trauma patients. Following the audit period the nurses completed a postimplementation survey. The expert evaluator performed 1,011 random CAM-ICU assessments within 1 h of the bedside nurse's assessments. Nurses completed the CAM-ICU assessments in 84% of evaluations. Overall agreement (κ) between nurses and expert evaluator was 0.77 (0.721–0.822; p < 0.0001), in TBI patients 0.75 (0.667–0.829; p < 0.0001) and in mechanically ventilated patients 0.62 (0.534–0.704; p < 0.0001). The survey revealed that nurses were confident in performing the CAM-ICU, realized the importance of delirium, and were satisfied with the training that they received. It also acknowledged obstacles to implementation including nursing time and failure of physicians/surgeons to address treatment approaches for delirium.

Conclusions

The CAM-ICU can be successfully implemented in a university-based trauma unit with high compliance and reliability. Quality improvement projects seeking to implement delirium monitoring would be wise to address potential pitfalls including time complaints and the negative impact of physician indifference regarding this form of organ dysfunction.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Ave. South, TN 37212, Nashville, USA

    Stacie L. Soja & Sloan B. Fleming

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Ave. South, TN 37212, Nashville, USA

    Pratik P. Pandharipande

  3. Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Ave. South, TN 37212, Nashville, USA

    Bryan A. Cotton, Leanna R. Miller & Stefanija G. Weaver

  4. Center for Clinical Improvement, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Ave. South, TN 37212, Nashville, USA

    Byron T. Lee

  5. Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy/Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Ave. South, TN 37212, Nashville, USA

    E. Wesley Ely

  6. Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Nashville, TN, USA

    E. Wesley Ely

Authors
  1. Stacie L. Soja
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  2. Pratik P. Pandharipande
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  3. Sloan B. Fleming
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  4. Bryan A. Cotton
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  5. Leanna R. Miller
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  6. Stefanija G. Weaver
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  7. Byron T. Lee
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  8. E. Wesley Ely
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bryan A. Cotton.

Additional information

P.P.P. has salary support via the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) Mentored Research Grant. E.W.E. has funding from the National Institutes of Health (AG01023-01A1), a Veterans Affairs Merit Grant from Clinical Science Research and Development, and the Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center. The funding agencies had no role in the design or conduct of the study, data collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data. In addition, they had no role in the preparation, review or approval of the manuscript.

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Soja, S.L., Pandharipande, P.P., Fleming, S.B. et al. Implementation, reliability testing, and compliance monitoring of the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit in trauma patients. Intensive Care Med 34, 1263–1268 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-008-1031-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-008-1031-x

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