Delirium
Delirium means that a very sick patient is "out of his head"-mentally confused, anxious, unable to cooperate. His speech makes no sense, and his imagination may be out of control. For mention of various conditions in which delirium may occur, see chapter 16, "List of Signs and Symptoms," under Delirium.
Symptoms include:
Changes in alertness (usually more alert in the morning, less alert at night)
Changes in feeling (sensation) and perception
Changes in level of consciousness or awareness
Changes in movement (for example, may be inactive or slow moving)
Changes in sleep patterns, drowsiness
Confusion (disorientation) about time or place
Decrease in short-term memory and recall
o Unable to remember events since delirium began (anterograde amnesia)
o Unable to remember past events (retrograde amnesia)
Disrupted or wandering attention
o Inability to think or behave with purpose
o Problems concentrating
Disorganized thinking
o Speech that doesn't make sense (incoherent)
o Inability to stop speech patterns or behaviors
Emotional or personality changes
o Anger
o Anxiety
o Apathy
o Depression
o Euphoria
o Irritability
Movements triggered by changes in the nervous system (psychomotor restlessness)
WHAT TO DO
Many of the illnesses in which delirium occurs are serious. The patient should be under a physician's supervision
In addition to treatment for the illness that causes the delirium, the greatest benefit to the patient comes from careful nursing care. Try to avoid startling the patient.
