Delirium education priorities for healthcare professional students: a modified Delphi study

Abstract

Background

Delirium is frequently unrecognised, and healthcare professionals lack knowledge and confidence in recognition and management of the condition. Increased delirium education within pre-registration healthcare profession curricula may help to address this. A modified Delphi approach was utilised to develop a set of education priorities associated with delirium education for healthcare profession students.

Methods

An initial list of 72 education priorities were identified from a literature review, stakeholder focus groups, and a review of available clinical guidelines. Priorities were grouped into eight domains ‘assessment and diagnosis’, ‘aetiology and risk factors’, ‘pathophysiology’, ‘treatment of delirium’, ‘prevention’, ‘delirium and dementia’, ‘impact on people with delirium, informal caregivers and family’ and ‘health promotion and public education’. Academic experts and healthcare professionals were invited to rank each priority and each domain across two rounds. Round one consisted of a survey including the list of 72 potential education priorities which participants were asked to rank from one (not a priority) to five (essential priority). Items which did not reach consensus criteria following round one were re-distributed as round two of the survey and participants were asked to repeat this exercise for the shorter list of items. Additionally, in round two, participants were asked to rank the eight domains from most important to least important.

Results

Eighty participants completed round one of the Delphi survey and 55 (68.75%) also completed round two. Following round one, 41 priorities were considered highly relevant and therefore met the criteria to be included in the final set of education priorities. An additional four items reached these criteria following round two and so the final set consists of 45 items. Priorities related to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment were consistently ranked highly whereas priorities related to pathophysiology and health promotion were consistently ranked lowest.

Discussion

This Delphi study identified areas of education viewed as the highest priorities for healthcare profession students’ delirium education, drawn from a range of academics and healthcare professionals. The final set may help to inform the development of delirium education reflecting these priorities.