Introduction: Delirium in the pediatric population admitted to intensive care is a worrying reality due to its potential complications and the increase in associated costs. This study aims to explore the experiences of nursing staff of a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit after 15 months of starting a program to fight against childhood delirium in their unit.
Methodology: A qualitative study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Key Informants. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) and the consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) were followed as quality measures for the study. Seven nurses (33% of the eligible population) from the PICU of a referral hospital were interviewed. Text transcripts were analyzed using the Interpretative Description and Qualitative Content Analysis method.
Results: The interviewees indicated not identifying delirium as an important reality; with great deficiencies observed in what is related to the identification of delirium; identifying CAPD as an unreliable tool in their unit; and not sharing therapeutic objectives in this respect with the medical staff.
Conclusions: The nursing staff presented a series of negative attitudes towards the phenomena of delirium in their unit, with gaps in training and in clinical management, and the diagnostic tool used, and did not see it as a priority objective of the unit, partly due to a resistance to change and a latent interprofessional communication conflict. A change at the formative, attitudinal, and relational levels is urgently needed for the success of the program and the well-being of the children in the unit.
Keywords: CAPD; Delirium; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit; delirium rating scale; implementation program; pediatric nursing critical care.