Title of article :
Validation of the NEECHAM Confusion Scale for Intensive Care Delirium Assessment
Author/Authors :
Ashtarian, Hossein Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) - Faculty of Health - Department of Health Education , Mehrabi, Nasrin Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) - School of Nursing and Midwifery - , Bazrafshan, Mohammad-Rafi Larestan University of Medical Sciences - School of Nursing - Department of Nursing , Rahmati, Mahmoud Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) - School of Nursing and Midwifery - Department of Psychiatric Nursing
Abstract :
Background: Delirium measurement instruments should be
highly sensitive, and their instruction for the users should also be
short-term and straightforward. The objective of the present study
was to investigate the validation of the NEECHAM confusion
scale in predicting the delirium of ICU patients in Kermanshah
health care and educational centers in 2015.
Methods: This is cross-sectional descriptive-analytic research
that was conducted in 2015. The researcher acquired the consent
of the administrators of Imam Reza (AS) and Taleqani hospitals.
A briefing session was held in ICU units, and the objective and
method of the study were explained to patients to attract their
cooperation. Sampling was done using convenience sampling.
Some 166 patients were selected. The NEECHAM confusion
scale was used to investigate the delirium of patients. The area
under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used
to assess the quality of the questionnaire. The significance level
was considered 0.05.
Results: Results show that 50.6 percent of the samples were
female, and most of them were married (85.2%). Most of the
patients lived in cities (78.9%) and were illiterate (50.3%). Also,
most of the patients were housewives (44.4%). Instruments
for data collection were demographic questionnaire and the
NEECHAM confusion scale. The results of this study indicated
that 45.2 percent of people have delirium. The NEECHAM
confusion scale has a large area under the ROC curve. Therefore,
it has high predicting power in the prediction of delirium.
Conclusion: according to the findings of this study, it can be said
the NEECHAM confusion scale has the validity to be able to
provide accurate and rapid information about patients’ delirious
status. Since the cognitive impairment screening tools require
regular editing; therefore, nurses working in intensive care units
can use this tool to diagnose patients with delirium and prevent
delirium complications quickly.
Keywords :
Confusion , Delirium , Intensive care units , Nurses , Validation study
Journal title :
Journal of Health Sciences and Surveillance System
