Essay On Delirium

Lena, addressing the underlying cause of the delirium is the most critical component to treating the individuals’ condition. Delirium develops from metabolic disturbances, infections, inadequate sleep hygiene, anatomic disturbances, and substance/alcohol withdrawal (Townsend & Morgan, 2017). These underlying causes must be addressed with additional interventions to successfully eliminate the delirium. For example, a non-pharmacological intervention for delirium in a study suggests the application of ear plugs and dimming the lights to improve the frequency of sleep disturbances associated with the conditions’ etiology (Oh, Fong, & Hshieh, 2017). Improving the underlying cause of the condition is helpful for healthcare professionals to treat delirium and these components can be addressed with many non-pharmacological interventions. Research has shown that these non-pharmacological interventions have been highly suggested rather than pharmacological

Hospitalized patients should be continually assessed ideally every five minutes to ensure that the patient is reassured of their surroundings and safety (Oh et al., 2017). This continual assessment will be helpful for nurses to ensure that the patient is adequately hydrated, maintaining electrolyte balance, and improving in overall condition (Oh et al., 2017). Medical treatment for delirium does include antipsychotics such as Haloperidol, but many studies have not shown much benefit to this pharmacological treatment in decreasing the severity and duration of delirium (Oh et al., 2017). Additionally, Haloperidol is not a suggested treatment method for older adults with delirium due to impacts on impaired cognition (Oh et al., 2017). Other than Haloperidol, there are not many recommended pharmacological treatments to implement for an individual with delirium (Oh et al.,