A rapid review has mapped clinical checklists used to support non-pharmacological delirium care in adult hospital settings outside intensive care. The review is useful for showing what tools exist and what elements they contain, but it should not be read as proof that a particular checklist improves outcomes.
Delirium is an acute disturbance in attention and cognition that can occur during illness or hospital admission, especially in older or medically vulnerable patients. Care commonly involves identifying and treating underlying causes while also addressing factors such as orientation, sleep, mobility, pain, hydration, nutrition and sensory impairment.
Across the reviewed tools, there was variation in content, structure and implementation. That variation is important: a checklist can improve consistency, but its effectiveness also depends on staff training, clinical judgement, local workflows and whether the underlying cause of delirium is recognised promptly.
The evidence therefore supports further evaluation rather than a claim that checklists are a standalone solution. Delirium is a medical condition that requires clinical assessment; a checklist is an organisational aid, not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment.
