The effects of VAP on morbidity,
mortality, length of hospital stay,
and cost are immense. Education
plays a key role in the management
of patients with VAP. Use of self-study
education modules on the nursing
care of patients at risk for VAP can
decrease the rate of this type of
pneumonia, the number of days of
mechanical ventilation, and the cost
of the disease.8
Healthcare systems can also play
a role in preventing VAP by employing
outcome managers to provide a
more comprehensive approach to VAP
prevention. In one study,42 the duration
of mechanical ventilation, hospital
and intensive care unit lengths
of stay, and mortality decreased
when an outcome manager was used.
Outcome managers can be responsible
for ensuring that protocols to
prevent VAP and other complications
of intubation and mechanical
ventilation are developed and are
being followed appropriately. The
use of ventilator pathways and/or
protocols with preprinted order sets
(Figure 2) can also lead to improved
outcomes for patients. A simple, yet
cost-effective way to ensure compliance
with elevating the head of the
bed is random daily audits. The
rationale for why a patient cannot have the head of the bed elevated
should be documented.3 Standardized
orders or pathways can be a
friendly reminder to healthcare
providers about the importance of
interventions to prevent VAP
The effects of VAP on morbidity,mortality, length of hospital stay,and cost are immense. Educationplays a key role in the managementof patients with VAP. Use of self-studyeducation modules on the nursingcare of patients at risk for VAP candecrease the rate of this type ofpneumonia, the number of days ofmechanical ventilation, and the costof the disease.8Healthcare systems can also playa role in preventing VAP by employingoutcome managers to provide amore comprehensive approach to VAPprevention. In one study,42 the durationof mechanical ventilation, hospitaland intensive care unit lengthsof stay, and mortality decreasedwhen an outcome manager was used.Outcome managers can be responsiblefor ensuring that protocols toprevent VAP and other complicationsof intubation and mechanicalventilation are developed and arebeing followed appropriately. Theuse of ventilator pathways and/orprotocols with preprinted order sets(Figure 2) can also lead to improvedoutcomes for patients. A simple, yetcost-effective way to ensure compliancewith elevating the head of thebed is random daily audits. Therationale for why a patient cannot have the head of the bed elevatedshould be documented.3 Standardizedorders or pathways can be afriendly reminder to healthcareproviders about the importance ofinterventions to prevent VAP
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