Caboolture joins national trial to help prevent delirium in older patients
Associate Professor Alison Craswell and Site Implementation Nurse Margaret Cahill
An innovative new toolkit designed to help families and healthcare teams recognise and prevent delirium has launched at Caboolture Hospital as part of a major national research trial.
Delirium is a serious but often overlooked condition that causes a sudden change in a person’s thinking, awareness and behaviour.
It can leave patients confused, distressed and unable to recognise loved ones, and is frequently mistaken for dementia.
To help address the issue, Caboolture Hospital has implemented PREDICT (Prevention and Early Delirium Identification Carer Toolkit), a nurse-led, carer-focused intervention developed by researchers from Southern Cross University partnering with University of the Sunshine Coast and University of Canberra.
Together with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Caboolture represents Metro North Health’s participation in the national trial, with Gold Coast Health set to commence later this year.
Associate Professor Alison Craswell University Sunshine Coast and Visiting Senior Nurse Research Fellow at Caboolture Hospital, said older people admitted to hospital are particularly vulnerable to developing delirium.
“Delirium can be frightening for both patients and their families, and because the symptoms can resemble dementia, it is often not recognised early enough,” Alison said.
“PREDICT empowers carers to speak up when they notice changes in their loved one’s behaviour or thinking. Their insights are invaluable because they know the person best.”
The toolkit provides carers with practical resources to help identify early changes in a patient’s brain function and communicate concerns to the healthcare team.
Available in web-based, smartphone and paper formats, PREDICT supports carers and clinicians to work together to prevent, recognise and respond to delirium sooner.
Caboolture Hospital officially began the trial on 16 June, joining Northern NSW Health and Canberra Health Services, where the study is already underway.
The toolkit includes checklists and educational resources that help carers identify potential warning signs and partner with healthcare teams to support prevention and early intervention strategies.
Importantly, the benefits of PREDICT extend beyond a hospital stay.
“Carers can continue using the knowledge and resources they gain through PREDICT when they return home,” Alison said.
“Recognising early signs of delirium and seeking support from a GP or healthcare provider may help prevent avoidable hospital admissions and improve outcomes for older people in the community.”
The implementation phase is currently underway across six participating medical wards at Caboolture Hospital, with staff receiving education and training ahead of the launch.
The study has also received strong community backing, including support from The Common Good, which contributed $30,000 towards the successful National
Health and Medical Research Council partnership grant funding the trial.
Hospital leaders hope the program will increase awareness of delirium across the organisation and encourage staff to actively engage with carers when concerns are raised.
By partnering with carers and recognising delirium earlier, the team hopes to improve the healthcare journey for older patients while reducing the incidence and impact of delirium in hospital settings.