Defense Date

7-20-2026

Graduation Date

Summer 8-7-2026

Submission Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

School

School of Nursing

Faculty Mentor

Laura Crimm

Keywords

HELP, Hospital Elder Life Program, delirium, delirium prevention, older adult

Abstract

Background: Delirium, an acute change in cognition, occurs in 21% of hospitalized patients and is linked to increased length of stay, readmissions, and increased mortality (Shen et al., 2024). In older adults, delirium prevalence increases and is linked to poor outcomes that inhibit patients' health care goals (Shen et al., 2024). Despite the well-published harms of delirium and standardized prevention measures, delirium prevention is not prioritized. Methods: HELP, originally the Hospital Elder Life Program, now preferred to be known as HELP, is a standardized delirium prevention model specifically designed to address the unique needs of hospitalized older adult patients. HELP was piloted on a geriatric medical surgical unit from January 2026-May 2026. Results: The primary HELP patients had a delirium incidence that was 12.5%, aligning with reported outcomes of well-established HELP sites. HELP demonstrated improvements across several outcome measures including mobility scores, length of stay, falls, restraint utilization, and 30-day readmissions. Patients transferred into the HELP unit from another facility, did not benefit from HELP interventions. Both baseline and post-pilot delirium knowledge surveys revealed poor understanding of delirium risk factors, highlighting the importance of ongoing education. Conclusion:  The implementation of HELP on a medical-surgical geriatric unit demonstrated that a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach to delirium prevention can improve outcomes for hospitalized older adults while establishing a sustainable framework for age-friendly care.

Download
COinS