Clinical nurses´ awareness structure of delirium — An analysis of spontaneous utterances in a group interview by DEMATEL method

Patients with delirium have a higher risk of falling and losing their lives. Therefore, delirium is known to be one of the factors that has a bad influence not only on treatment and nursing but also on the patient´s vital prognosis. However, no specific therapeutic agents for delirium or prophylaxes against it have been developed yet. Besides, it has been reported that delirium is one of the mental states that is tend to be passed over. Accordingly, it is very important to develop the staffs´ observation skills and to establish the nursing care system in order not to overlook delirium. In this study, we interviewed the clinical nurses working at Kansai Medical University Takii Hospital in a group setting. They are in contact on a routine basis with patients with delirium. Their spontaneous utterances about delirium are analyzed with the DEMATEL method. Their utterances are divided into two groups, that is, “causes of delirium” and “delirious patients´ behavior”. From each group, keywords and phrases are picked out and analyzed. Consequently, this study will reveal how the clinical nurses feel about delirium and delirious patients.