... it was interesting to note that this condition is rarely diagnosed or adequately managed. Attitudes of health care staff were examined to understand why this neglect occurs. Lastly, preventative measures and management recommendations were briefly reviewed. Acute confusion and the elderly patient Acute confusion is defined as "...a state of transient brain dysfunction that has an acute onset, brief duration, and fluctuating course" (Mentes, Culp, Maas, & Rantz 1999:96). Neelon and Champagne (cited in Mentes et al. 1999:96) further describe acute confusion as: ... a spectrum of nonadaptive psychophysiologic responses characterized by disordered cognition (which includes alterations in perception, thinking, and memory); dysfunction of the reticular activating system (which influences both patient attention and wakefulness); and dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (which influences both psychomotor and regulatory functions). Acute confusion, also called delirium, is common in elderly hospitalised patients where it results in longer hospital stays and increased mortality (Inouye 2000). In addition, ...

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