The American journal of nursing
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For patients and their loved ones, delirium can be a frightening experience. A fluctuating mental status is important to identify because it often signals a need for additional treatment. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) diagnostic algorithm enables nurses to assess for delirium by identifying the four features of the disorder that distinguish it from other forms of cognitive impairment. It can be completed in five minutes and is easily incorporated into ongoing assessments of hospitalized patients. (This screening tool is included in the series Try This: Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults, from the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing.) For a free online video demonstrating the use of this tool, go to http://links.lww.com/A209.
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As the population grows and the proportion of older adults increases, the incidence and prevalence of dementia are expected to increase dramatically. Health care providers' lack of awareness of current geriatrics practice and persistence in holding the outdated belief that confusion is a normal part of aging contribute to significant under recognition of dementia in all settings. Early recognition and diagnosis are critical to carrying out best practices in the care of older patients. ⋯ The tool consists of a three-item recall task and a simple clock-drawing task. The Mini-Cog takes only three to five minutes to administer and requires minimal training. For a free online video demonstrating the use of this tool, go to http://links.lww.com/A204.