Determining the Preliminary Efficacy of the Emergency Department Delirium Screening and Detection Program

NCT ID: NCT05638945

Last Updated: 2024-11-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 3000 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-11-28
• Study Completion Date: 2024-10-08

Brief Summary

Delirium occurs in up to 20% of older adults presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) and is associated with poor outcomes. Failure to identify patients with ED delirium not only prevents initiation of mitigation strategies, but is also a barrier to advancing the field in terms of evaluating management and clinical outcomes. This project studies the potential of an ED Delirium Detection Program (ED-DDP), developed to address the need for consistent and accurate ED delirium detection.

This research will have two objectives:

• Aim 1 will conduct a pilot stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (SW-CRT) of the ED-DDP across 3 diverse EDs to determine preliminary efficacy of the detection training program, and
• Aim 2 will use a mixed methods approach to assess RE-AIM implementation outcomes (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) of the training program.

Aim 1 will consist of a multicomponent 1-day delirium champion workshop where the training is delivered, real-time direct observation/training of champions via telehealth, practical training of nurses throughout each ED by champions, and patient chart review. In Aim 2, the investigators will assess implementation outcomes using training logs, tele-observation, interviews with champions and nurses, and electronic medical record screening.

The overarching aim of this proposal is to determine the preliminary efficacy of the training program for improving ED delirium screening, detection, and management in older adults, while also evaluating implementation outcomes of the program for champions/nurses. The investigators will use findings from this study to inform a full-scale SW-CRT to evaluate the impact of the program on patient outcomes at Northwell Health. The long-term goal of this study is to implement and disseminate a comprehensive ED-DDP that will improve screening, detection, and management of ED delirium in older adults.

Detailed Description

Every three months, with the exception of when a site is in their implementation period, trained study staff members will conduct retrospective in-depth chart reviews on 250 randomly selected eligible patient visits per ED site. These chart reviews will assess presence of delirium as well as any corresponding delirium documentation, including the brief confusion assessment method (bCAM) and delirium mitigation and management strategies employed during the patient's ED visit. Charts will be pulled based on dates the participating site is within their control or intervention period (no chart review will take place during program implementation). A total of N=1,000 patients per ED will be reviewed. Two delirium experts will perform chart checks and adjudicate any uncertain cases.

Conditions

Delirium

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Control Period

Delirium screening on initial assessment of all older adults presenting to the ED is considered standard of care, but not mandated. All health system EDs have access to a validated EHR integrated delirium screening tool (brief confusion assessment method, or bCAM) and all ED nurses have received training on bCAM use. The bCAM tool is an open parameter in the EHR. For positive bCAM screens, a message is displayed, "This patient has delirium, alert medical team, identify/ treat the underlying cause, ensure patient safety, nonpharmacologic interventions as first line, and avoid physical and chemical restraints". The control period will include chart reviews of patient visits occurring before implementation of the ED-DDP program.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Intervention Period

ED leadership at each site have identified 5-10 delirium champions (nurse educators and managers, bedside nurses) based on their interest in delirium and commitment to program participation, including training of nurses by champions. The intervention period will include chart reviews of patient visits occurring after implementation of the ED-DDP program.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

ED Delirium Screening and Detection Program (ED-DDP)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The intervention arm will have standardized delirium screening by nurses using the brief confusion assessment method (bCAM) in the EHR and will receive the ED-DDP. The ED-DDP will consist of: 1) a multicomponent 1-day delirium champion workshop; 2) real-time direct observation/training via telehealth (tele-training); and 3) training of nurses by champions. Champions will participate in a 1-day workshop, consisting of patient testimonials, small group discussions, delirium and screening tool use (didactics), and role-playing. Following the workshop, champions will receive 3 tele-training sessions; 2 to provide direct observation/feedback while the champion performs a bedside delirium screen, and 1 to provide direct observation/feedback of the champion providing training to the nurse. Once delirium champions complete training, they will provide bedside delirium training for all ED nurses.

Interventions

ED Delirium Screening and Detection Program (ED-DDP)

The intervention arm will have standardized delirium screening by nurses using the brief confusion assessment method (bCAM) in the EHR and will receive the ED-DDP. The ED-DDP will consist of: 1) a multicomponent 1-day delirium champion workshop; 2) real-time direct observation/training via telehealth (tele-training); and 3) training of nurses by champions. Champions will participate in a 1-day workshop, consisting of patient testimonials, small group discussions, delirium and screening tool use (didactics), and role-playing. Following the workshop, champions will receive 3 tele-training sessions; 2 to provide direct observation/feedback while the champion performs a bedside delirium screen, and 1 to provide direct observation/feedback of the champion providing training to the nurse. Once delirium champions complete training, they will provide bedside delirium training for all ED nurses.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Presenting to a participating study site emergency department (ED) during control or intervention periods
• Survival to ED discharge or to hospital admission

Exclusion Criteria

• Presenting to a participating study site ED during ED-DDP implementation periods

• Minimum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Northwell Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Liron Sinvani, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Northwell Health

Locations

Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

Manhasset, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

R21AG075230

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

22-0681-350CD

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id