SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Delirium Optimization With Volunteer Engagement (Dove): A Retrospective Study

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The study evaluated a pilot program called Delirium Optimization with Volunteer Engagement (DOVE), designed to help prevent delirium in hospitalized adults on a general medical unit. Because delirium is linked to worse hospital outcomes and staffing shortages can limit nonpharmacologic care, the program trained hospital volunteers to support patients at risk for delirium through sensory aid assistance, “get to know me” forms, conversation, and reorientation.<br /><br />Researchers retrospectively reviewed patients hospitalized at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from August 2023 to February 2024. Patients were identified as being at risk using a delirium risk assessment score. Outcomes from the DOVE group were compared with a matched control cohort from another medical unit where volunteers were not used. Matching was based on age, sex, delirium risk score, admission month/year, and hospital length of stay.<br /><br />A total of 168 patients received DOVE volunteer interaction, and 65 of them (38.7%) developed delirium during hospitalization. After matching, 139 DOVE patients were compared with 261 controls. Delirium occurred significantly less often in the DOVE group than in controls (46.8% vs 56.7%; odds ratio 0.55, 95% CI 0.34–0.89; P=0.015).<br /><br />The authors concluded that the DOVE pilot was a practical and innovative approach that reduced delirium occurrence in hospitalized adults on a general medical unit. They suggest that other healthcare organizations could use similar volunteer-based strategies to strengthen delirium prevention efforts, especially when staffing is limited.

Asset Subtitle

Wyatt Pruter

Meta Tag

Author List Karen M. Fischer, Kevin Webb, Laura Kaster, Renu Boyapati, Sandeep R. Pagali, Stephanie Chambers, Wyatt Pruter

Category Research

Concept DOVE Pilot Program

Concept Delirium Prevention

Concept In-Hospital Delirium

Concept Volunteer

Concept Delirium Risk Assessment

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Mayo Clinic

Presenting Author Wyatt Pruter

Track Translating Research into Practice

Keywords

delirium

hospitalized adults

volunteer engagement

DOVE pilot program

delirium prevention

general medical unit

nonpharmacologic care

patient reorientation

sensory aid assistance

matched cohort study

DOVE Pilot Program

Delirium Prevention

In-Hospital Delirium

Volunteer

Delirium Risk Assessment