A nursing protocol targeting risk factors for reducing postoperative delirium in patients following coronary artery bypass grafting: Results of a prospective before-after study

OBJECTIVE: The results of postoperative delirium (POD) warrant testing for prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a nursing intervention targeting risk factors could decrease the incidence of POD among patients who had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in China. METHODS: A prospective before-after study was conducted between April 2014 and April 2015. A nursing delirium intervention protocol targeting risk factors for delirium was performed for 141 patients undergoing CABG in a cardiothoracic ICU from November 2014 to April 2015. Intervention consisted of screening for delirium risk factors, followed by targeted risk factor modification, including pain control, early catheter removal, patient orientation using the 5W1H procedure, increased family visits, minimizing care-related interruptions, comfortable nursing and monitoring for sleeping difficulties. Outcomes of the Intervention Group were compared with those of the Control Group for 137 CABG patients from April 2014 to October 2014. Delirium was assessed using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU). The sample size was justified by PASS2000, based on previous data of delirium incidence in our institution (30%). MAIN RESULTS: Delirium incidence during the first seven postoperative days was significantly lower in the Intervention Group at 13.48% (19/141) vs. 29.93% (41/137) for the Control Group (χ2 = 11.112, P = 0.001). In addition, POD in the Intervention Group occurred between the 3rd and 6th postoperative days, while POD in the Control Group mainly occurred on the first three days postoperatively. Delirium in the Intervention Group occurred later than delirium in the Control Group (χ2 = 12.743, P < 0.001). Length of ICU stay was reduced significantly (Z = −6.026, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The application of a nursing protocol targeting risk factors in this study seems to be associated with a lower incidence of POD in patients after CABG. This finding suggests that managing the predictors properly is one of the effective strategies to prevent delirium.