Managing delirium and agitation
Delirium and agitation can be triggered by a number of underlying issues. Understanding what causes a patient's neurocognitive disorder will help with the management and treatment of this condition.
Patients with delirium often present with deficits in their attention and awareness, which can develop over a short time and fluctuate during the day. When examining a patient with delirium and agitation, the cause of this neurocognitive disorder (such as a serious illness or severe pain) should be assessed. The acronym, PINCH ME, can be used to point toward the most common causes of delirium. In this lesson, you will learn what this acronym means, how to examine patients with delirium and agitation, and the different medical and non-medical therapies to treat them.
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