Abstract

MARQUES, Paulo Alexandre Oliveira; SOUSA, Paulino Artur Ferreira de  and  SILVA, Abel Avelino de Paiva e. Acute confusion in older people: information for nursing decision-making. Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2013, vol.serIII, n.9, pp.37-43. ISSN 0874-0283.  https://doi.org/10.12707/RIII1292.

Context: Acute confusion is a common and serious problem in older hospitalized patients, and is associated with serious complications, mortality, re-hospitalization and institutionalization. Nurses still have difficulty in its identification and management. Objectives: In this research, we sought to identify information about patients with acute confusion that is important for nursing clinical practice, and on this basis to build an algorithm which supports the nurse decision. Methods: From the methodological point of view this was a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study. As proposed by Strauss & Corbin, we used a comparative and iterative analysis of the nurses’ interview data. Results: The results point to the importance of linking acute confusion with behavioral responses and functional status. Making this connection allows improvements in nursing care. Conclusions: The structure of decision support that emerged is new knowledge whose development may enable significant advances in the science and practice of nursing.

Keywords : confusion; nursing; elderly; decision support techniques.

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