[Multicomponent nurse-led intervention for the prevention of delirium in hospitalized frail older patients: PREDELENF study protocol].

INTRODUCTION

Due to population aging, hospital care increasingly involves a higher number of individuals with chronic conditions, frailty, and disability, who are at risk of developing geriatric syndromes and require complex management during hospitalization. Delirium is one of the most prevalent, underdiagnosed geriatric syndromes and it is associated with serious consequences in terms of morbidity, mortality, and clinical management. Despite being a potentially preventable event and an indicator of geriatric patient safety and care quality, few programs address it systematically.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A quasi-experimental pre-post study with consecutive intentional sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, involving patients at risk of delirium due to cognitive frailty hospitalized in a general medical-surgical unit. The control group will receive standard care, while the intervention group will receive specific care aimed at preventing and managing delirium.

RESULTS

Implementing a multicomponent nurse-led intervention and a specific training program for healthcare professionals in a hospital ward, focused on the prevention and management of delirium, will allow for the systematization of multidisciplinary preventive care plans and the reduction of delirium incidence in hospitalized frail patients.

CONCLUSIONS

As part of the transversal strategy for the prevention and management of frailty at the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital (ProFràgils Germans Trias), there is a need to validate a nurse-led program for the prevention and management of delirium in hospitalized frail individuals. PREDELENF has the potential to be implemented in the daily practice of all hospital wards.