Video podcast S2: Episode 24- Delirium and Sundowning

Mourning Dove Medical Presents Dr. G at the Heart of Healthcare

Guest- Favorite Retired Hospice Nurse Gerard Soucy, RN, CHPN
BOSTON based
Previously on Season 1 EPISODE 19 https://open.spotify.com/show/2u3BXV3...
BONUS EPISODE 36 https://open.spotify.com/show/2u3BXV3...

Mission-Educate & Empower in three parts, helping listeners ‘SEE’ what’s needed to navigate the healthcare system.
1. Story (theme) Family Caregiver/Daughter reported to the hospice nurse that her mother is “sundowning.” Sundowning = DELIRIUM is cyclic, waxes & wanes and is REVERSIBLE. Can happen in different settings. Confusion Assessment method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) https://www.icudelirium.org/medical-p...

2. Educate -Teaching points

Fast Fact #1 Diagnosis and Treatment of Terminal Delirium | Palliative Care Network of Wisconsin https://www.mypcnow.org/fast-fact/dia...

New nurses advice: expect, prevent, manage environment, instruct family
Caregivers advice: Manage environment
Risk factors: illness, disrupted routine, sensory deprived (glasses, hearing aids), sleep disturbance, substance withdrawal, UNtreated PAIN
Nurse Gerards tips: step in early, prevention is the best treatment
Sedate or fix problem, AVOID disinhibiting benzodiazepines
Hospice Comfort kits have haloperidol, an antipsychotic for terminal delirium. Consider as recommendation in delirium SBAR

Assessment tools
-RASS like temperature calm restless agitated very agitated combative ….use same language ; Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/1872/rich...
-Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC) quick can be done from door https://www.jpsmjournal.com/article/S...

3. Empower -A valuable a resource
“Delirium in Advanced Disease” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

Website info https://mourningdovemedical.com
#hapc #EducateAndEmpower #PeaceOfMind #TheRealDealAboutHospice #Hope #Delirium #Confusion #Agitation #Disoriented #Restlessness #Anxiety