Pilot Study of Nurse-Led Personalized Audio Messages to Prevent Confusion After Hip Fracture Surgery in Older Adults

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore whether personalized audio-recorded reorientation messages can be successfully used in general hospital wards for elderly patients after hip fracture surgery to help prevent confusion delirium. The pilot trial focuses on understanding if nursing staff can deliver this intervention in busy orthopedic wards, recruitment and retention of eligible patients, patient tolerance to the audio messages, and early signs of reducing delirium. The study compares patients receiving these messages to those receiving usual care. Participants in the intervention group listen to approximately 2-minute personalized audio reorientation messages through an iPad and noise-canceling headphones three times daily for the first 3 days after surgery. These messages provide orientation information, encouragement, pain management guidance, and reassurance. Nursing staff deliver the messages during routine care, and the system supports multiple languages. Participants in the control group receive standard hip fracture care, including early mobilization, allied health involvement, routine orientation assessments, and delirium screening with appropriate care bundles if needed. During the study, participants will have their orientation and mental status checked multiple times daily by nursing staff and continue with their usual medical care. Researchers will monitor protocol adherence, recruitment feasibility, retention, and intervention tolerance for up to 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes include delirium rates assessed by the 4AT tool, length of hospital stay, therapy participation, and analgesic use. The study aims to evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of this approach in elderly hip fracture patients.

Audio-Recorded Messages Delivered Via iPad to Prevent Delirium in Hip Fracture Patients