Confusion Assessment Method (CAM-short)
The CAM-short was developed to improve the identification and recognition of delirium. The CAM-short contains only items 1-4 of the original Confusion Assessment Method. These items are the four features found to best distinguish delirium from other types of cognitive impairment.
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Confusion Assessment Method (CAM-long)
The Confusion Assessment Method is a 10-item tool that is the gold standard for delirium identification including diagnosis, severity, and behavioral subtype. The CAM was developed as a standardized method to enable non-psychiatry trained clinicians to identify delirium quickly and accurately in both clinical and research settings.
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CAM-S Delirium Severity Scoring
The CAM-S is intended to be used in addition to the original CAM algorithm; it will not yield a delirium diagnosis but is only a means to quantify the intensity of delirium symptoms seen at the bedside. These symptoms can be present in persons with and without delirium. You will need to use the CAM-S instrument as well as the CAM to calculate a delirium severity score. This guide will show you how the severity score can be calculated.
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Family CAM
The Family CAM (FAM-CAM) was originally developed to provide a method for informant-based assessment of delirium. The FAM-CAM may be administered to a family caregiver by interview either in person, on the telephone, or self-administered by a variety of methods (paper, electronically), and allows for delirium assessment across a wide range of settings. The FAM-CAM may help with early detection of delirium by family caregivers and may be useful for a range of clinical and research applications.
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3D-CAM
The 3D-CAM is a 3-Minute Diagnostic Interview for the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). The 3D-CAM is a brief assessment tool that can be used to test patients for delirium, which can be completed in an average of 3 minutes, and performs very well compared to an expert evaluation.
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UB-CAM
The UB-CAM uses items from the 3D-CAM and adaptive testing for an even quicker CAM-based diagnostic assessment. The UB-CAM is a 2-step protocol that begins with the UB-2, a 2- item ultra-brief delirium screen. For those who screen negative, the assessment ends (delirium is not present). Those who screen positive go on to receive additional 3D-CAM items using a skip pattern to shorten administration time. The UB-CAM can be completed in about 1 minute on average (35-40 seconds for the UB-2 only, and 1 minute 30 seconds for UB-2 + 3D-CAM with skip). Similar to the 3D-CAM, the UB-CAM also performs very well compared to an expert evaluation.
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Delirium Burden Instruments
The Delirium Burden instruments are designed to measure distress due to delirium in Patient and Caregivers and to be used as a means of quantifying the burden of an acute delirium episode (lasting hours to days). Burden refers to the distress that Patients and Caregivers may feel in response to symptoms and stressful situations surrounding the episode.
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Chart-based Delirium Identification Instrument
The CHART-DEL is a validated method that can be used to review charts (medical records) to detect the presence of delirium in patients.
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Please email the Aging Brain Center for permission to utilize the CAM instruments: AgingBrainCenter@hsl.harvard.edu
Confusion Assessment Method. Copyright 1988, 2003, Hospital Elder Life Program. Not to be reproduced without permission. The Hospital Elder Life Program, American Geriatrics Society, Sharon Inouye, MD, and Edward Marcantonio, MD are not liable for any injury, physical or financial, related to the content or your reliance on the content.