ICU Psychosis In Nursing

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Have you even been stuck in a hospital room for days or months? If not, do you know someone, and have you notice a change. They might be experiencing ICU Psychosis. Here’s a real story shared by Welker, M. MSN “My mother was in ICU for four days and upon moving to a regular room she developed extreme paranoia and was very agitated. She wanted to call the police because the medical staff was trying to kill her. She told several family members they were mean to put her in a place like this, she was surely going to die. It was very scary to see such a change in her mental state”(2016). What is ICU Psychosis, ICU is intensive Care Unit, psychosis is an impaired relationship with reality. ICU psychosis is not a specific medical diagnosis, but …show more content…

After being in the ICU for a couple of weeks the patients started to show signs of ICU psychosis. The patient would be afraid to sleep, would think machines, tubes, and monitors is keeping him/her alive. Alarms in the hospital would sound off, the patient assumes that they were going to die. As days pass the patient sign and symptoms worsen. The patient finally moved to a different unit. Nurses explained to the patient family that the patient is experiencing ICU psychosis and its unhealthy for patient mental status. To treat the ICU psychosis for this patient the nurses would try to increase patient self-esteem and independence. The patient would exercise in the physical therapy department, for 15 minutes every shift. After a few days of treatment patient symptoms start to decrease. Having the patient get out the room for a few minutes a day help patient break through ICU psychosis(1982). Prevention of ICU psychosis should occur as soon as the patient has been in the ICU for a few hours. Review visiting policies for the facilities, provide great periods of sleep, by reducing the disturbing and noise levels in the patient room, also try to minimize shift change in nursing staff caring for the patient, assess the patient alertness for the place, date and time on every shift(Welker, M. MSN, 2016). ICU psychosis can be increase by health care professional awareness of early clinical signs of delirium during patients assessment(Arend, E., Christensen, M. 2009). ICU psychosis is affecting the majority of the patient admitted to the ICU. Evidence base shows that the ICU environment is contributed to it’s development. Delirium is increased with morbidity and mortality as well as increased with length of stay in the intensive care unit(Arend, E., Christensen,

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