Delirium in a residential care facility: An exploratory study of staff knowledge

Objective: To explore staff knowledge of delirium by eliciting meaning through descriptions of their experiences within a residential aged care facility (RACF). Methods: Six staff from one RACF in Australia participated in this qualitative study. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted and analysed using Colaizzi’s analytical framework.

Results: The analysis revealed four themes: (i) absence of the word delirium; (ii) care based on intuition and automated actions; (iii) reliance on teamwork; and (iv) confusing delirium, depression and dementia.

Conclusion: Delirium was absent from clinical discourse in the RACF. Although participants concluded that delirium was common, lack of knowledge led to underassessment. Findings emphasise the need for staff education, informed assessment and clinical guidelines to better support staff care for residents.