Assessment of Physician & Nursing Attitudes & Barriers to Implementation Prior to Universal Pediatric ICU Delirium Screening

Background: Delirium is defined as an acute, global brain dysfunction that is common, yet underappreciated in critically-ill pediatric patients. Delirious patients have longer hospital stays, increased risk of mortality, and higher rates of post-traumatic stress syndrome. To address this problem, several screening tools have been developed to facilitate diagnosis of pediatric ICU delirium. Implementation of delirium screening has been associated with decreased prevalence and improved outcomes. In the initial phase of a broader QI project, we conducted a pre-intervention survey of clinicians and nurses to identify barriers to successful implementation …