Introduction
Ventilator-associated pneumonia is defined as pneumonia in a patient who has been mechanically ventilated for at least 48 hours or in a patient who has been extubated for at least 48 hours. According to Papazian et al. (2020), “reported incidences of VAP vary widely from 5 to 40%, and the estimated attributable mortality is around 10%, with higher mortality rates in surgical ICU patients” (p. 888).
Discussion
High severity and mortality, as well as a significant increase in the consumption of material resources in the event of VAP, contribute to the necessity of the development of clear and concise preventive measures. This research aims to provide strategies to help nurses identify the possible risks and signs of VAP and subsequently reduce them in the clinical setting. Specifically, appropriate nursing interventions should be developed to increase the success rate of preventing VAP among critically ill patients.
Thus, the prognosis type of the PICOT question is developed to address the study’s key aspects. The question is: In critically ill patients (P), how does a tailored and specific nursing intervention (I) compared to general methods of risk assessment and prevention (C) influence the possibility of the occurrence of VAP (O) during mechanical ventilation (T)? Consequently, the importance of the research question relates directly to the work of the ICU nurses; multiple life-threatening conditions require mechanical ventilation, and the risks and comorbidities vary from one case to another.
Conclusion
By providing nurses with a well-designed approach to assessing the possibility of VAP and comprehensive measures to prevent it, healthcare facilities could contribute to the overall patient survival rate. Moreover, ICU nurses’ stress levels could also be improved by the implementation of standardized measures to help them operate in the highly demanding environment of the ICU unit.
Reference
Papazian, L., Klompas, M., & Luyt, C.-E. (2020). Ventilator-associated pneumonia in adults: A narrative review. Intensive Care Medicine, 46(5), 888–906.