DOS — Delirium Observation Screening Scale

2003

Scale scored from nurses' routine observations during care, designed for early recognition of delirium in high-risk inpatients.

Monitoring / repeated screeningSeverity measurementMultiple validation studies

Full nameDelirium Observation Screening Scale

Also known asDOS, DOSS

PurposeMonitoring / repeated screening, Severity measurement

PopulationAdult

SettingGeneral / acute hospital, Perioperative

Items25

Administrationvariable

EvidenceMultiple validation studies

Reference typeOriginal validation study

Reference standardDSM-IV (geriatrician)

Validation samplen = 82 + 92

Cut-off / scoring≥3 of 13

Reliabilityα 0.93–0.96

Strengths＋ Scored from routine nursing observation

Limitations− Screening, not diagnosis

Real-world useLower completion when used alone, higher in combination with another tool; inpatient positive-score rates 6–42%. (Penfold 2024)

ReferenceSchuurmans MJ, Shortridge-Baggett LM, Duursma SA. The Delirium Observation Screening Scale: a screening instrument for delirium. Res Theory Nurs Pract. 2003;17(1):31-50. PMID 12751884

Download RIS Download BibTeX DOI ↗ Original validation study ↗Official source ↗

Key studies

* Where shown, sensitivity/specificity are from the cited validation cohort and are not pooled estimates. Citation metadata was checked against PubMed or the publisher DOI record; a checked reference does not imply validation, study quality or endorsement. See the Methodology.