CONHECIMENTOS E PRÁTICAS DA EQUIPE DE ENFERMAGEM PARA PREVENÇÃO E MONITORIZAÇÃO DO DELIRIUM EM IDOSOS

Abstract

Objective: to verify the knowledge and practices of a nursing team from an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) regarding the care to elderly patients in order to prevent and monitor delirium episodes. Method: this is an action-research, with a sample of nine nurses and one nurse technician. The data was collected in a pedagogical workshop, and the analysis of content was used. Results: the interviewees demonstrated superficial understanding regarding the events of delirium, which can be observed by moments of excitement, disconnected discourse, hallucinations, and sudden memory loss. They only informed the necessity to take action to bring the patient back to his normal state in order to prevent further events, and the use of antipsychotics/sedatives and immobilization in bed to control the event. Under the practices described, the authors detected a dysfunction exclusively on the clinical signs, which they prevent in re-orientations and in the promotion of sleep, and control the event by physically restraining the patient and by administrating the prescribed medication. Conclusion: the participants demonstrated an incipient understanding on the topic, which reflects directly in the practices performed to prevent and monitor the delirium in the studied location. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]