Personalized iPad audio messages to reduce confusion after hip fracture surgery
Nurse-Led Audio-Recorded Reorientation to Reduce Delirium in Elderly Hip Fractures: A Pilot Randomized Control Trial
NA · Sengkang General Hospital · NCT07396532
This trial will try 2-minute personalized audio reorientation messages on an iPad to see if they help prevent confusion (delirium) in people aged 60 and over after hip fracture surgery.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 60 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Sengkang General Hospital (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Singapore) |
| Trial ID | NCT07396532 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot randomized controlled trial tests whether short, personalized audio reorientation messages delivered via an iPad app can be implemented on busy orthopaedic wards and whether they show early signs of reducing post-operative delirium in older hip fracture patients. Nurses will use the Shortcut app to play standardized 2-minute messages in English, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil through noise-cancelling headphones, providing orientation, recovery updates, encouragement for therapy, and reassurance about caregivers. Eligible participants aged 60+ without pre-existing cognitive impairment who undergo hip fracture repair and are admitted to the orthopaedic ward will be randomized to receive the audio intervention or usual care. Primary outcomes are feasibility measures (delivery by nursing staff, recruitment and retention, and patient tolerance) and preliminary clinical signals for reduced delirium compared between groups.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people aged 60 or older undergoing hip fracture surgery who have no pre-existing cognitive impairment and can understand English, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil.
Not a fit: Patients who require post-operative high-dependency or intensive care, have significant pre-existing cognitive impairment, are deaf and mute, or are managed without surgery are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this low-cost, nurse-delivered audio intervention could reduce the incidence or severity of post-operative delirium and help patients recover faster.
How similar studies have performed: Non-pharmacological reorientation strategies have shown promise in preventing delirium in prior studies, but the use of personalized audio messages delivered via tablet is relatively novel with limited pilot data.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Older adults aged 60 years and above * Undergoing hip fracture repair surgery * No history of cognitive impairment as assessed by Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) * Able to understand to any of the basic languages of Singapore (English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil) Exclusion Criteria: * Patients not admitted directly to orthopaedic (study) wards post-operation (such as those requiring post-operative high-dependency unit care) * Patients managed conservatively without surgical intervention. * Patients admitted for periprosthetic hip fracture repairs * Patients who are deaf and mute
Where this trial is running
Singapore
- Sengkang General Hospital — Singapore, Singapore (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Elaine Goh, RN, BSN
- Email: elaine.goh.sh@skh.com.sg
- Phone: +65 82288624
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Delirium - Postoperative, Delirium and Post-operative Cognitive Dysfunction, Delirium, Postoperative, delirium, nurse-led, reality reorientation, AI