Delirium and Nursing in adults and older adults. Review of the literature

Introduction: Delirium or confusional syndrome is a neurocognitive disorder with different symptomatology oriented towards cognitive alterations in consciousness and attention. New research is scarce, so there is a need for the present study, an update of knowledge on a relevant syndrome from the perspective of the nursing profession. General objective: To compile scientific knowledge on delirium applied to adults and the elderly from the nursing perspective, specifically seeking to study the triggering factors and the level of knowledge of nursing professionals. Methodology: A literature review study of the current scientific literature (last 5 years), divided into three stages. The literature search was conducted from December 2023 to February 2024. The databases used were Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus and Cochrane Library Plus, with terms such as ‘Delirium AND aged’, among others. Results: 14 highly relevant articles were selected. The results show that the level of nurses' knowledge of delirium is insufficient in most of the studies. Triggering factors were found to vary greatly from study to study, with advanced age being repeatedly emphasised. Conclusion: The skills and knowledge of the nursing teams are scarce and at moderate or low levels, requiring specific educational reinforcement. Triggering factors include advanced age, dementia, systemic diseases and organ dysfunction, among many others.