IDENTIFICATION, PREVENTION, AND MANAGEMENT OF DELIRIUM IN THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD OF CARDIAC SURGERY: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT

Abstract

This article aimed to report the observational experience of nursing practices in the management of delirium in patients in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, with emphasis on strategies for identification, prevention of aggravating factors, and management of the condition in intensive care. This is a descriptive, qualitative experience report developed during the Supervised Curricular Internship in a Coronary Intensive Care Unit of a high-complexity hospital between May and August 2026. The experience revealed important differences in the recognition of the hypoactive and hyperactive forms of delirium and showed that the practices adopted, although consistent with current recommendations, took place without a standardized screening instrument or an institutional care pathway. It is concluded that nursing clinical judgment is decisive for the identification and management of delirium, but that its systematization, through protocols and validated scales, is necessary to make care more timely, uniform, and less dependent on the individual experience of professionals.