Acute Confusion Among the Patients in Surgical Intensive Care Units

Purpose: An ICU patient’s probability of occurrence of acute confusion is higher than that of a general inpatient. Acute confusion is likely to not only cause accidental injury and prolong ICU stay, but also increase the mortality.  Accordingly, this triggers the motivation to explore it. This study incidence of acute confusion, the related factors and predictors of acute confusion.

Methods: A descriptive correlational design was adopted. This study recruited patients, transferred to ICU after the surgery and had been in ICU for more than 24 hours as subjects, totaling 263 people.

Results: The results showed  acute confusion was 79.41% and the incidence was the highest after one day of ICU stay, accounting for up to 33.1% of the population. The predictor of acute confusion was catheterization p-value, which was 0.004 (OR, 13.465; 95% CI, 2.266 ~ 79.99). The age p-value was 0.002 (OR, 2.339; 95% CI, 1.356 ~ 4.033). The pain index p-value was 0.002(OR, 2.339; 95% CI, 1.356 ~ 4.033). PSQI score p-value was smaller than <0.001 (OR, 1.823; 95% CI, 1.342 ~ 2.475). APACHE II and acute confusion there is a significant positive correlation (r =. 389, p <.000). Linear regression analysis APACHE II (R2 = .092%, P <.000).

Conclusion: These four variables are statistically significant and therefore can be the predictor for SICU patients with acute confusion (R2 = 0.538). APACHE II and predictable 9.2% of the variance in acute confusion. It is hoped that this study can be used in clinical practice for early detection of high risk of acute confusion to prevent further damage so that ICU nurses can establish a care model that prevent risk factors of acute confusion and improve the quality of health care.