Instruments to Identify Delirium in Patients Recovering From Anesthesia: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose: To identify the validated instruments used for screening and detecting postoperative delirium (POD) during Post Anesthesia Recovery (PAR) period, and the incidence and associated risk factors with POD.

Design: A scoping review.

Methods: The study search occurred in May 2021 in the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science and LILACS databases. Primary studies that used validated instruments for screening and detecting POD in the PAR period were included.

Findings: A total of 38 articles were included. The most used instruments were CAM-ICU, Nu-DESC, and RASS. The instruments that screened and detected delirium earliest were the Nu-DESC and CAM-ICU. POD incidence was up to 20% in more than half of the included studies. Cardiovascular comorbidities, chronic kidney disease, low functional reserve, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and postoperative pain were among the primary risk factors.

Conclusion: The instrumentsshowing the greatest accuracy for screening and detecting POD in the PAR period were the Nu-DESC and CAM-ICU.

Keywords: delirium; postanesthesia nursing; postoperative cognitive complications; recovery room.