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45/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 45 out of 100. Clinical safety

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Participating ICU in both surveys (2016: n = 559, 2024: n = 447) had similar basic characteristics and enabled comparison. Use of validated delirium assessment tools slightly increased from 56.8 % (n = 398) in 2016 to 74.4 % (n = 438) in 2024. Significant improvement rates were identified from 2016 to 2024 in use of validated assessments (56.8 % vs. 72.8 %), prevention programs (34.6 % vs. 44.7 %), information materials for patients and families (18.9 % vs. 33.8 %), and others. Conversely, there was decreased implementation in dementia screening (23.7 vs. 14.8), use of restraints (68.3 % vs. 58.4 %), and others. The top barrier, lack of time and staff, remained in first place. The comparison of two large surveys in 2016 and 2024 indicate a slightly cultural shift in delirium management in German speaking countries. Open quality improvement projects might increase delirium awareness and contribute to an ongoing cultural change. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Improvement projects addressing barriers and delirium-specific awareness are essential to improve and sustain delirium management practices in ICU settings.

Key findings

Participating ICU in both surveys (2016: n = 559, 2024: n = 447) had similar basic characteristics and enabled comparison.
Use of validated delirium assessment tools slightly increased from 56.8 % (n = 398) in 2016 to 74.4 % (n = 438) in 2024.
Significant improvement rates were identified from 2016 to 2024 in use of validated assessments (56.8 % vs. 72.8 %), prevention programs (34.6 % vs. 44.7 %), information materials for patients and families (18.9 % vs. 33.8 %), and others.
Conversely, there was decreased implementation in dementia screening (23.7 vs. 14.8), use of restraints (68.3 % vs. 58.4 %), and others.
The top barrier, lack of time and staff, remained in first place.

Why it matters

This comparison of two surveys in 2016 and 2024 found a slight cultural shift in delirium management in German-speaking ICUs, with increased use of validated assessment tools and prevention programs. However, dementia screening decreased, and lack of time and staff remained the top barrier.

Study details

Participants559
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 45/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Intensive and Critical Care Nursing)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Intensive and Critical Care Nursing: journal h-index 96 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	4 / 5	2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	2 / 4	559 participants
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	2 / 7	Cited 10 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	3.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 7.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	1 / 4	Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	1 / 4	Last-listed author Wolfgang Hasemann: h-index 14 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	University of Tübingen: institution h-index 940 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	3 / 3	OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 3 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40058075)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	45 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

Read the original

Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

APA 7th

Coolens, O., Kaltwasser, A., Melms, T., Monke, S., Nydahl, P., Pelz, S., et al. (2025). Delirium management in 2024: A status check and evolution in clinical practice since 2016. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2025.103995

Vancouver

Coolens O, Kaltwasser A, Melms T, Monke S, Nydahl P, Pelz S, et al. Delirium management in 2024: A status check and evolution in clinical practice since 2016. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.iccn.2025.103995. PMID: 40058075.

BibTeX

@article{coolens2025-40058075,
  author  = {Coolens, Oliver and Kaltwasser, Arnold and Melms, Tobias and Monke, Stefanie and Nydahl, Peter and Pelz, Sabrina and von Haken, Rebecca and Hasemann, Wolfgang},
  title   = {{Delirium management in 2024: A status check and evolution in clinical practice since 2016}},
  journal = {Intensive and Critical Care Nursing},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.iccn.2025.103995},
  pmid    = {40058075},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2025.103995}
}

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