2024 Funded Micro Grant
Working across the care team: Educating Patient Safety Attendants on Using Activity Boxes to Engage Delirious Patients
Team: Shaista Ahmed, Idris Leppla, Megan McGowan, Rona Corral
Department of Psychiatry
Delirium is characterized by an abrupt change in awareness, attention, and cognitive ability. It can occur due to many factors, including under-stimulation. Delirium is associated with increased healthcare utilization, higher ICU costs, and—most importantly—increased suffering by both patients and caregivers. If patients are transferred to a skilled nursing facility with delirium, the risk of morbidity and mortality increases. Currently, however, patient safety attendants are under-trained when it comes to the etiology and treatment of delirium and are mostly focused on fall prevention.
This project team will use grant resources to develop and deliver training sessions for patient safety attendants to recognize and treat delirium. By being trained to use activity boxes, which are prescribed by occupational therapists to reduce agitation, patient safety attendants will be able to engage patients cognitively throughout their care, reducing their risk of falling into delirium.