Table 1.
Characteristics of study sites
| Study sites (n=69) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number of hospital beds | ||
| <500 | 21 (30%) | |
| 500–1000 | 32 (46%) | |
| >1000 | 16 (23%) | |
| Hospital type | ||
| Teaching | 65 (94%) | |
| Non-teaching | 4 (6%) | |
| Location | ||
| Europe | 51 (74%) | |
| North America or central America | 13 (19%) | |
| South America | 3 (4%) | |
| Africa | 2 (3%) | |
| Number of ICU beds before the COVID-19 pandemic | 19 (13–30) | |
| Sites that added additional ICU beds during study period | 58 (84%) | |
| Additional beds added | 24 (12–39) | |
| Protocol in place for identifying delirium | 62 (90%) | |
| Protocol in place for managing delirium | 47 (68%) | |
| Delirium assessment tool | ||
| Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU | 65 (94%) | |
| Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist | 4 (6%) | |
| Level of sedation assessment tool | ||
| Richmond Agitation–Sedation Scale | 67 (97%) | |
| Sedation-Agitation Scale | 2 (3%) | |
| Restricted visitation during the study period due to COVID-19 | 68 (99%) | |
| Visitors restricted to certain times of the day | 4/68 (6%) | |
| Visitors restricted to only when a patient is dying | 36/68 (53%) | |
| Visitors completely restricted (no visitors allowed) | 28/68 (41%) | |
| Staff reported facilitated virtual contact* between the patient and family or friends | 66 (96%) | |
| Full duration of patient's stay | 62/66 (94%) | |
| Only in situations when a patient was dying | 4/66 (6%) | |
| Shortage of available resources during the time the study period | 29 (42%) | |
| Shortage of critical care providers | 23/29 (79%) | |
| Shortage of personal protective equipment for providers | 21/29 (72%) | |
| Shortage of ventilators | 16/29 (55%) | |
| Shortage of ICU beds | 15/29 (52%) | |
| Shortage of sedatives | 11/29 (38%) | |
| Shortage of health-care providers | 10/29 (34%) | |
| Shortage of hospital beds | 6/29 (21%) | |
| Shortage of intravenous tubing sets | 5/29 (17%) | |
| Shortage of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit tubing sets | 5/29 (17%) | |
| Shortage of mechanical ventilators | 3/29 (10%) | |
| Shortage of analgesics | 1/29 (3%) | |
| Shortage of vasopressors | 1/29 (3%) | |
Data are n (%), median (IQR), or n/N (%). ICU=intensive care unit.
*
Via telephone, mobile phone, iPad or tablet, or laptop.