Table 2.

Commonly used delirium screening tools

Tool	Description	Strengths	Weaknesses
Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)71	Assesses the presence, severity, and fluctuation of nine delirium features. Based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III criteria for delirium	Simple to administer. Validated in many clinical settings and translated into multiple languages	Some heterogeneity of delirium detection across different studies72
CAM-ICU73	CAM adapted for non-verbal, mechanically ventilated patients	Simple to administer. Excellent inter-rater reliability	Good specificity but modest sensitivity depending on how providers are trained74
4AT Rapid Assessment Test for Delirium76	Four items that assess attention, cognition, and alertness	Quick and simple to administer, allows for testing of agitated or drowsy patients, incorporates general cognitive screening	Overall score more sensitive than specific
Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-Revised-98)77	Three diagnostic items for initial ratings and a 13-item scale for repeated measures (range, 0–46)	High sensitivity and specificity	Requires special training