Cognitive identifiers

The aim of this leaflet

To provide patients and carers with information on what are cognitive identifiers and why they are used within the Trust.

What is a cognitive identifier?

A cognitive identifier is a visual alert to enable staff to recognise people with cognitive problems and give the extra care they need within an acute hospital.

These include:

They will be offered when:

• There is an established diagnosis of dementia
• Been identified as having cognitive impairment that includes confusion
• An identified delirium

Using these cognitive identifiers alerts, we aim to raise the profile of the specialised care required for these patients and increase staff awareness of people with cognitive impairments. Identification of individual needs not only personalises care but will improve the patients’ hospital journey.

We value both family and carer information, and we would ask if you can help complete the ‘What’s important to me’ poster to provide insight of the patient’s likes and dislikes, who is important to them, what they like doing, as well as what keeps them calm.

We acknowledge how important it is to include family and carers in obtaining personalised information and we invite you to assist in completing the “What’s Important to Me” template. Our focus is on who the person is, their lives, important people in their lives, likes and dislikes, hobbies, food and drink preferences and suggestions to promote calm and avoid distress.

There is a guidance sheet to help complete. Please ask a member of staff to assist you to complete this template.

We will only ever use these alerts with permission or in the patient’s best interest.

Please discuss any concerns with the nurse in charge first. For further queries contact the dementia specialist nurse on 01223 768005 or 07596 044147