Supanee Chuchat. Increasing the potentiality of nurses for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia . Master's Degree(Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2006.
Increasing the potentiality of nurses for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia
Abstract:
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common
nosocomial infection with a high mortality rate. This quasi- intervention study was
conducted to compare the knowledge and practice towards VAP prevention among
nurses and incidence rates of VAP between pre and post- intervention program
during April 2005 to February 2006 at Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital. The
intervention programs included group discussion, brain storming, education and
training practices on VAP prevention. The study samples included 40 nurses working
in the studied medical ward. The studied nurses were interviewed by using a
questionnaire and observed on practice guidelines for VAP prevention. The VAP
incidence rates in pre and post-intervention period were determined according to
infection control surveillance program of the hospital. Identification of the causative
bacteria of VAP was also carried out in all cases of VAP patients.
Results revealed that the nurses ages ranged from 23 to 42 years old (mean
30.5 ± 5.8 years). Approximately 92.5% were registered nurses and 7.5% were
technical nurses with duration of working of 8.7 years. About 52% of the studied
nurses reported that they had no knowledge on VAP practice guidelines. The
knowledge mean scores on VAP prevention after the intervention program were
significantly higher than those pre-intervention (22.9 vs. 20.9, p<0.001).The
proportion of nurses who practiced on VAP prevention (oral care, patients positioning,
endotracheal tube suctioning, enteral feeding care and management of respiratory
equipment) increased from 74.2% to 85.9% (p<0.001). The incidences of VAP
declined from 21.1% to 13.3% or from 17.3 to 9.4 per 1,000 ventilator – days
(p<0.05). The most common causative bacteria of VAP were Acinetobacter baumannii
and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the pre and post-intervention period, respectively.
The results of this study suggested that understanding the practice guidelines for VAP
prevention should be emphasized as standard nursing care for patients with
mechanical ventilators. Application of the intervention program to all involved nurses
could reduce incidence of VAP.