Complete The Growth and Development APEA module. Pick one of the following topics that were reviewed: Newborn assessment, Nutrition, Child, Adolescent, or Immunization. Please choose on that has not been previously covered by a peer.

• What is an area that you may have forgotten?
• Explain the specific growth and development concept in detail and describe strategies that you will undertake to assist in retaining that information?

NSG 6440 Week 9 Discussion

This week’s content addressed professional and legal issues, state boards of nursing, advanced practice licensure, regulations, scope of practice, and national certification as an advanced practice nurse. It is your responsibility to look at your individual board of nursing and remain up to date with the changes that are carried out in your state.  For this week’s discussion review your states scope of practice and address 3 areas that you were not aware you can do as a licensed provider in your state

ADDITIONAL DETAILS 

Acute Delirium

Introduction

Delirium is a medical condition that can occur in people with or without dementia. It’s characterized by changes in behavior, memory, and thinking that affect how a person relates to their surroundings. Delirium occurs most often in people who have brain injuries or other health problems that cause confusion and disorientation, but it can also occur as the result of taking certain medications (such as sedatives or antipsychotics) or due to physical illness such as heart disease or diabetes—even cancer-treatment drugs sometimes cause delirium.

What is Delirium?

Delirium is a change in mental status. It can be short or long term, with or without psychotic symptoms (such as hallucinations).

Delirium is reversible and often occurs as part of an acute illness or injury. For example, delirium may occur following surgery to the abdomen or head, brain injury due to trauma or head trauma, stroke, heart attack and other serious medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent diabetes) that lead to poor blood sugar control; kidney disease with hypertension; liver disease with liver failure; seizure disorders such as epilepsy/seizures associated with alcohol use disorder – see below for more information on seizures caused by alcohol abuse), Parkinson’s disease etc..

What causes Delirium?

Delirium is a condition that affects the brain and body. It can be caused by a medical condition, medication, or alcohol. Delirium can also be caused by an illness or injury.

Some of the causes of delirium include:

• Strokes

• Brain tumors

• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS)

What are the symptoms of Delirium?

Delirium is a medical term for a sudden change in cognitive function, awareness, or behavior. The symptoms of delirium can be mild to severe and may include:

• Change in cognition (memory loss)

• Change in consciousness (hallucinations)

• Change in sleep pattern (insomnia or excessive sleeping)

• Changes in personality such as irritability and agitation

• Level of consciousness changes

How is it diagnosed?

Acute delirium is usually diagnosed based on the patient’s symptoms, medical history and physical exam. The doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and medical history. If you are experiencing hallucinations, delusions or other unusual behavior that can be caused by acute delirium (such as depression), this may help confirm a diagnosis of acute delirium.

The doctor may also perform a physical examination to check for any signs of high blood pressure or kidney problems that could cause symptoms such as confusion.

Is delirium linked to other medical problems?

Delirium is not a disease, but it’s often a symptom of other medical problems. For example, delirium can be caused by:

• Head injury or brain injury (injury to the head)

• Seizure disorder or seizure activity. If your loved one has had any seizures in the past year, you should talk to their doctor about this possibility as well.

• Blood pressure issues that cause high blood pressure and/or low blood volume and/or low oxygen levels in the body. This can lead to an increase in intracellular calcium levels in cells throughout your body, which causes them all over again!

How is it treated?

The treatment of delirium can be divided into two main categories: pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Pharmacological treatments include anti-psychotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines (such as lorazepam or diazepam) and anticonvulsants (e.g., gabapentin). Non-pharmacological treatments include physical therapy; rehabilitation programs that focus on helping people learn how to care for themselves again after an illness or injury; cognitive behavioral therapy programs that aim to change the patterns of behavior associated with delirium symptoms; and social support from family members or friends who have been affected by dementia as well.

Takeaway:

As you can see, delirium is a condition that can be treated. It’s important to get medical attention if you think you are experiencing delirium—this will help your loved one get the treatment they need and minimize the risk of permanent brain damage or death.

Conclusion

Remember, delirium is a serious condition that can quickly get worse. Because it’s so easy to confuse symptoms and diagnosis, you should always be on the lookout for signs of delirium. If you think someone may be experiencing this medical emergency, contact an emergency room immediately.