The Efficacy of Nursing Delirium Education Programme in The Management of Delirium Care in Intensive Care Units: An Extended Literature Review

Abstract

Background; Delirium in intensive care units is a prevalent and serious condition that is associated with a range of negative patient outcomes. This is partly due to deficiencies in nurses’ knowledge regarding delirium in acute nursing settings. Early identification of delirium is essential for effectively managing the condition and mitigating the associated detrimental outcomes. The primary objective of this extended literature review is to examine the effectiveness of nursing delirium education programmes specifically within the context of delirium care in intensive care units. Furthermore, the review will evaluate the sustained effect of these educational interventions. Method An extended literature review was conducted, utilising various online library databases including Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus. In addition, other sources cited in the reference lists were searched for relevant studies focusing on delirium education interventions in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. The search encompassed publications up to 20 July 2023. The selected articles were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Result Ten empirical studies involving 888 nurses were selected for inclusion in this review. These studies, consisting of nine quasi-experimental designs and one mixed-method approach, varied in terms of methodological quality. Two types of educational interventions were identified: 1) multicomponent approaches incorporating both theoretical and practical components, and 2) single educational approaches delivered through in-person or online methods. The studies employed various qualitative and quantitative instruments to assess the impact of these programmes on nurses' knowledge, behaviours, and patients' outcomes. However, only a limited number of articles examined the nurses' perspective on the educational methods and the sustained impact of the interventions. Conclusion Effective educational programmes are crucial for the successful implementation of delirium care. Multifocal educational strategies have shown greater effectiveness in promoting high performance and safe care. Monitoring the impact of these programmes over time is essential to ensure their educational quality. Further research is required for a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of education programmes for nurses, including exploring nurses' perceptions of the usefulness of individual elements within these programmes.