2017 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 32-41
The aim of this study was to describe the development process of interdisciplinary delirium care teams in acute care hospitals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight delirium care teams in general hospitals in the Kanto and Kansai areas of Japan. The interview data were then analyzed qualitatively and inductively.
A total of 55 sub-categories in 17 categories related to the development process of delirium care teams were extracted and then classified as follows into four phases: initially, a “launching team” for delirium care brought about the “organization of team building,” which improved through mutual interaction and the “promotion of team activities”, thereby improving the “outcomes of the team activities”. This development process included the following components: the clinical staff had a clear need for a delirium care team; multiple key members understood this need and took appropriate actions; key members negotiated with and got support from hospital administrators; team members built the delirium care team through simultaneous organization both within and outside the team; and administrators examined possible options and resolved any issues regarding the costs of team activities. These findings suggest that systematizing the delirium care process and facilitating staff education contributes to the improvement of overall delirium care skills. Activities such as team rounds within the hospital are effective for improving collaboration and cooperation among hospital staff members.
