Table 2.
Descriptive Statistics of Delirium Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ) in Nursing Students Pre/Post-Test (n = 298)
| DKQ Item | Pre-Test Score (% Correct Answers) |
Post-Test Score (% Correct Answers) |
+/− Difference (% Correct Answers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Items related to knowledge about the presentation, symptoms, and outcomes of delirium | |||
| 1. Fluctuation between orientation and disorientation is a typical feature of delirium (T) | 96.64% | 99.26% | + 2.62% |
| 2. Symptoms of depression may mimic delirium (T) | 78.04% | 93.63% | + 15.59% |
| 3. Patients never remember episodes of delirium (F) | 77.70% | 90.60% | + 12.90% |
| 4. Delirium never lasts for more than a few hours (F) | 94.93% | 96.22% | + 1.29% |
| 5. A patient who is lethargic and difficult to rouse does certainly not have a delirium (F) | 88.85% | 96.60% | + 7.75% |
| 6. Patients with delirium are always physically and/or verbally aggressive (F) | 95.95% | 97.74% | + 1.79% |
| 7. Patients with delirium have a higher mortality rate (T) | 62.16% | 92.08% | + 29.92% |
| 8. Behavioural changes in the course of the day are typical of delirium (T) | 94.58% | 96.96% | + 2.38% |
| 9. A patient with delirium is likely to be easily distracted and/or have difficulty following a conversation (T) | 96.27% | 98.48% | + 2.21% |
| 10. Patients with delirium will often experience perceptual disturbances (e.g. visual and/or auditory hallucinations) (T) | 98.31% | 99.62% | + 1.31% |
| Section A Overall Score | 88.34% | 96.12% | 7.78% |
| B. Items related to knowledge about causes and risk factors of delirium | |||
| 11. A patient admitted with pneumonia and having diabetes, visual and auditory disturbances has the same risk for delirium as a patient admitted with pneumonia without co-morbidities (T) | 71.53% | 75.67% | + 4.14% |
| 12. The risk for delirium increases with age (T) | 82.71% | 97.35% | + 14.64% |
| 13. A patient with impaired vision is at increased risk of delirium (T) | 38.98% | 82.13% | + 43.15% |
| 14. The greater the number of medications a patient is taking, the greater their risk of delirium (T) | 86.39% | 96.20% | + 9.81% |
| 15. A urinary catheter reduces the risk of delirium (F) | 86.05% | 90.49% | + 4.44% |
| 16. Poor nutrition increases the risk of delirium (T) | 91.84% | 98.10% | + 6.26% |
| 17. Dementia is an important risk factor for delirium (T) | 94.56% | 95.06% | + 0.50% |
| 18. Diabetes is an important risk factor for delirium (F) | 14.97% | 54.20% | + 39.23% |
| 19. Dehydration can be a risk factor for delirium (T) | 96.94% | 99.23% | + 2.29% |
| 20. Delirium is generally caused by alcohol withdrawal (F) | 81.97% | 85.06% | + 3.09% |
| 21. A family history of dementia predisposes a patient to delirium (F) | 38.70% | 57.85% | + 19.15% |
| Section B Overall Score | 71.33% | 84.67% | + 13.34% |
| Items related to knowledge about delirium prevention and management strategies | |||
| 22. Treatment of delirium always includes sedation (F) | 91.44% | 95.79% | + 4.35% |
| 23. Daily use of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is the best way for diagnosing delirium (F) | 22.26% | 71.26% | + 49.00% |
| 24. Providing as much staff as possible to take care at the patients’ bedside is an important strategy in the prevention of delirium (F) | 71.13% | 84.23% | + 13.10% |
| 25. The use of physical restraints in patients at risk for delirium is the best way to ensure their safety (F) | 95.19% | 97.69% | + 2.50% |
| 26. Encouraging patients to (correctly) wear their visual/hearing aids is necessary to prevent delirium (T) | 75.60% | 94.62% | + 19.02% |
| 27. Adequate hydration is an important strategy in the prevention of delirium (T) | 98.97% | 100.00% | + 1.03% |
| 28. The maintenance of a normal sleep-wake cycle (e.g., avoidance of sleep interruption) is an important strategy in the prevention of delirium (T) | 98.28% | 98.84% | + 0.56% |
| 29. The use of haloperidol in preoperative surgical fracture patients is a way to prevent delirium (T) | 48.97% | 73.36% | + 24.39% |
| 30. The stimulation of patients to perform different activities at the same time is a way to prevent delirium (F) | 35.17% | 57.75% | + 22.58% |
| 31. Keeping instructions for patients as simple as possible is important in the prevention of delirium (T) | 86.21% | 93.41% | + 7.20% |
| 32. Early activation/ambulation (e.g., getting patients out of bed as soon as possible) of patients is an important strategy in the prevention of delirium (T) | 65.17% | 84.88% | + 19.71% |
| 33. Providing patients with familiar objects (e.g., photos, clock, newspaper) is important to prevent sensory deprivation (T) | 98.97% | 99.22% | + 0.25% |
| 34. Avoid eye contact in the prevention of delirium because it can be seen as a threat (F) | 86.21% | 94.96% | + 8.75% |
| 35. Keeping oral contact with the patient is an important strategy in the prevention of delirium (T) | 86.55% | 93.41% | + 6.86% |
| Section C Overall Score | 75.72% | 88.53% | + 12.81% |
| Student’s Overall Average Score (n = 298) |
77.95% (M = 27.28) (SD = 3.24) |
89.48% (M = 31.32) (SD = 2.43) |
+ 11.54% (4.04) |