Development and Evaluation of an Intensive Care Unit Video Series to Educate Staff on Delirium Detection

BACKGROUND: Delirium affects up to 80% of patients who are mechanically ventilated in the intensive care unit (ICU) but often goes undetected because of incomplete and/or inaccurate clinician evaluation and documentation. A lack of effective, feasible, and sustainable educational methods represents a key barrier to efforts to optimize, scale, and sustain delirium detection competencies. Progress with such barriers may be addressed with asynchronous video-based education. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a novel ICU Delirium Video Series for bedside providers via a knowledge assessment quiz and a feedback questionnaire. METHODS: An interdisciplinary team scripted and filmed an educational ICU Delirium Video Series, providing detailed instruction on delirium detection using the validated CAM-ICU (Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU). A cohort of bedside nurses subsequently viewed and evaluated the ICU Delirium Video Series using a feedback questionnaire and a previously developed knowledge assessment quiz pre- and post-video viewing. RESULTS: Twenty nurses from four ICUs viewed the ICU Delirium Video Series and completed the pre–post quiz and questionnaire. Ten (50%) respondents had 10 or more years of ICU experience, and seven (35%) reported receiving no CAM-ICU education locally. After video viewing, overall pre–post scores improved significantly (66% vs. 79%; P < 0.0001). In addition, after video viewing, more nurses reported comfort in their ability to evaluate and manage patients with delirium. CONCLUSION: Viewing the ICU Delirium Video Series resulted in significant improvements in knowledge and yielded valuable feedback. Asynchronous video-based delirium education can improve knowledge surrounding a key bedside competency.