The Pinch Me Pod - an MDT approach to delirium in hospital settings

In this sixth (and final) episode, we think about what happens when someone with delirium in the acute hospital setting is approaching the point where they no longer need to remain an inpatient. What factors needs considered? What are the different options for where these patients could go to after hospital? What if the delirium hasn’t fully resolved prior to them leaving hospital? Does that affec...

In this Fifth episode, we discuss the importance of communicatng about delirium well with the families of patients affected by it. It’s a worrying sight for families to witness their loved ones becoming acutely confused due to the causes we’ve mentioned in previous episodes, and it takes a structured, compassionate approach to explain to family members why a delirium might have come about and what...

In this fourth episode, we consider what we can do to try and support patients with complex, difficult and prolonged cases of delirium that don't resolve as quickly or as easily as we would like them to.  We consider the concept that behaviour of any kind is a form of communication that is often driven by a need, and we talk through the benefits of therapeutic interactions, including communication...

In this third episode, we move on to the next step and focus on the management of delirium. How do we look after patients affected by delirium? Can we expect them to make a full recovery? And if so, how long does that process normally take? We recognise that the management of delirium is multifaceted and it is crucial that we aim to identify and treat the underlying causes.  We also dip into some...

In this second episode, we explore the various triggers for delirium and what causes this acute confusional state, as well as consider some methods for preventing it.  We consider questions such as can other medical conditions make someone more likely to get delirium and can multi morbidity play a part?  Julie Magee, lead pharmacist, explores the role medications can play in delirium and highlight...

In this episode, we explore what delirium is and why it is so common in the patients that we see across our hospitals.  We talk about assessment and what we can do to recognise and diagnose delirium early with a focus on ‘SQID’ and the 4AT, outlined in the Regional Delirium care pathway.   We refer to the ‘PINCH ME’ mnemonic to help us consider the most common causes of delirium and to help us bet...