Background: postoperative cognitive changes can increase morbidity and mortality, demand for postoperative care and social and health costs, and can lead to dementia. Aim: this article discusses perioperative variables that can be used to identify patients who are more vulnerable to experiencing cognitive decline after surgery. It also highlights some screening tools that could be useful for early detection and for planning nursing care. Method: a literature search was conducted using the Medline, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Cochrane Library databases from 2010 to 2018. Google Scholar was also consulted. The reference lists of relevant articles covering postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) were reviewed for further relevant papers. Conclusion: assessment and evaluation of a patient's cognitive resources before and after surgery can lead to clinical interventions to support the person's coping mechanisms; health professionals can reduce the short- and long-term effects of cognitive decline. Screening tools could be used as part of a strategy to minimise postoperative cognitive changes.
Apathy and depression are common neuropsychiatric disorders that can manifest themselves as comorbidities in patients affected by neurological diseases. Misdiagnosis may lead to unwanted clinical side effects, inappropriate rehabilitation, and may compromise the patient clinical outcome. The purpose of this article is to review features of apathy and depression, highlighting similarities and analysing discriminating factors between them. It also aims to raise nurses' awareness in relation to the management of apathy, highlighting a validated and consistent tool to be used during nursing assessment. A literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases dating from 2014 to 2019. Publications were screened according to predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria and reviewed. The relationship between apathy and depression is complex. Nurses could differentiate between them through education and a structured assessment, shaping the therapeutic/rehabilitative approach and ultimately making a difference in terms of patient wellbeing.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.