The novice nurse asks another nurse about differentiating delirium from dementia. The experienced nurse will respond that which change in mental status is consistently seen in patients with delirium and is not seen in patients with dementia?

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3. Individuals with delirium have fluctuating consciousness, but individuals with dementia are as attentive as they can be and do not experience altered consciousness until terminal stages. Impaired short-term memory is consistently seen in dementia. Apraxia is the loss of purposeful movement without loss of muscle power or coordination and is not seen in delirium. Disorientation to self is seen in amnesiac disorders, not delirium.

The Novice Nurse Asks Another Nurse About Differentiating Delirium from Dementia