Acute confusion (AC), also referred to as delirium (AC/delirium), is a common 
problem seen by health professionals who work in a variety of care settings. 
This is an evaluative report on the clinical usability of instruments to assess 
AC/delirium as a part of nursing practice. Specifically, five instruments [the 
Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Delirium Rating Scale (DRS), Delirium Symptom 
Inventory (DSI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Neelon/Champagne 
(NEECHAM) Confusion Scale] are discussed. The work demonstrates how the 
cooperation of nurses in practice, education, and research can improve both 
patient and staff outcomes.