| Author(s): |
Christine M. Waszynski, MSN, APRN, BC, Hartford Hospital |
| Description: |
CAM was intended to provide a new standardized method to enable nonpsychiatrically trained clinicians to identify delirium quickly and accurately in both clinical and research settings. Both along and short version of the CAM are available. The long version is a comprehensive assessment instrument that screens for
clinical features of delirium and correlates to DSM IV criteria. The short version includes only those four features that werefound to have the greatest ability to distinguish delirium from other types of cognitive impairment. There is also a CAM-ICU version for use with non-verbal mechanically ventilated patients. |