Family carer’s experience of a delirium resource (PREDICT) to support care partnerships with healthcare professionals: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: There is a growing recognition of the need for collaborative partnerships between carers and healthcare professionals to ensure the delivery of safe and equitable healthcare for older persons. Involving and empowering carers to participate in healthcare decisions is beneficial for patients at risk of delirium, as carers are well placed to notice small behavioural changes that indicate delirium. The Prevention & Early Delirium Identification Carer Toolkit (PREDICT) to prevent and manage delirium in the acute hospital setting was co-designed to support these care partnerships. AIM: To explore carers' experience of PREDICT to support partnerships with healthcare professionals in the prevention and management of delirium METHOD: A qualitative study grounded in empowerment theory explored carers' experience of PREDICT to support care partnerships in the prevention and management of delirium. Carers of older people at risk of delirium on a general medical ward in a regional hospital were exposed to PREDICT. Semi structured interviews were conducted with these carers following discharge. Reflective inductive thematic analysis was used to identify and analyse key themes from the data. RESULTS: Two key themes were identified: 'Carers Well Placed' and 'They Weren't Quite Themselves', and two sub themes: 'Feeling Unsupported' and 'Fear, Loss and Grief '. CONCLUSIONS: PREDICT supports carers to better understand delirium and strengthens opportunities for partnership with nurses in its prevention and management. Approaches that prioritise education, engagement, empowerment, emotional support and empathy may enhance nurse-carer collaboration and contribute to more person-centred delirium care in acute hospital settings.