Implementing Nurse-Facilitated Person-Centered Care Approaches for Patients With Delirium Superimposed on Dementia in the Acute Care Setting.

Little is understood about the use of person-centered care (PCC) for individuals with delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD), especially in the acute care setting. As part of a larger clinical trial, the purpose of the current exploratory study was to describe examples and qualitatively derived themes of nurse-facilitated PCC for hospitalized older adults with dementia and delirium. A total of 750 delirium rounds were analyzed across three diverse acute care sites. Qualitative derived themes of PCC included: (a) Knowing the Patient's Baseline; (b) Knowing the Patient's Interests and Values; (c) Enhancing Sensory Abilities to Communicate; (d) Individualizing Cognitive Stimulation; and (e) Enhancing Behavioral Approaches to Comfort and Sleep. Barriers included failure to see the patient as an individual and lack of time. Principles of PCC were effectively used, demonstrating the potential for PCC to ease the burden of DSD for all members of the health care team. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(12), 21-28.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.