Have you ever wondered why people become confused? Have you ever been perplexed by how best to treat agitation? Have you ever thought that it might be better to prevent delirium than to treat it? Altered mental status (involving agitation, confusion, and perceptual disturbances) is a topic of concern for clinicians of all specialties. Learning who is at risk for an altered mental status, what we can say or do to prevent or to treat individuals with an altered mental status, why people become agitated or confused, and how we can assess and treat alterations of mental status is key to providing timely treatment and saving lives. To assess your knowledge about this subject, a pre-test is provided. After taking this pre-test, move directly to the text (without checking the answer key at the end of the book). Next, read the programmed text. It provides you with an opportunity for layered learning, with information offered in bite-sized bits. After each section, fill in the missing words (indicated by blanks) with the correct answer; this enables you to build knowledge in small steps. You will learn better if you do not look at the answers before you fill in the missing words. Therefore, cover up the answer adjacent to each section using the supplied bookmark (found at the back of this book), until you have filled in the missing words. This format makes this volume appear incredibly simple; nevertheless, completing this step-by-step workbook will help you achieve working knowledge about the assessment and management of altered mental status. Follow the instructions; skipping sections will interfere with the learning process. You can complete the tests and read the text in one sitting. After completing the entire text, take the post-reading test. This helps you assess how much you have learned from this exercise. Then, score your pre-test and post-reading test to determine your raw score and percentage of correct responses so that you can see how much you learned. Enjoy the painless process.