Strategies for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: bundles, devices, and medications for improved patient outcomes

Nursing protocol in vascular trauma prevention: peripheral catheterization bundle in urgency

OBJECTIVE

to create, apply and analyze in clinical practice the effectiveness of a bundle to prevent peripheral vascular trauma to approach the peripheral venous puncture process.

METHOD

action research with 435 adult participants in an emergency service from 2011 to 2013. Creation of the bundle for prevention of vascular trauma based on scientific evidence, ease of operation, observation and measurement with implantation through an educational intervention of the team of nursing. Effectiveness analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using chi-square. Consecutive sample with 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Five stages of the bundle were related to the catheter fixation, permanence and removal process. The incidence of vascular traumas due to vein punctures reduced by 46.41% after implantation of the bundle to prevent vascular trauma associated with emergency peripheral catheterization.

CONCLUSION

The bundle in clinical practice reduced vascular traumas by venipuncture.

The effect of a nurse-led multidisciplinary team on ventilator-associated pneumonia rates

Background. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a worrisome, yet potentially preventable threat in critically ill patients. Evidence-based clinical practices targeting the prevention of VAP have proven effective, but the most optimal methods to ensure consistent implementation and compliance remain unknown. Methods. A retrospective study of the trend in VAP rates in a community-hospital's open medical intensive care unit (MICU) after the enactment of a nurse-led VAP prevention team. The period of the study was between April 1, 2009, and September 30, 2012. The team rounded on mechanically ventilated patients every Tuesday and Thursday. They ensured adherence to the evidence-based VAP prevention. A separate and independent infection control team monitored VAP rates. Results. Across the study period, mean VAP rate was 3.20/1000 ventilator days ±5.71 SD. Throughout the study time frame, there was an average monthly reduction in VAP rate of 0.27/1000 ventilator days, P < 0.001 (CI: −0.40–−0.13). Conclusion. A nurse-led interdisciplinary team dedicated to VAP prevention rounding twice a week to ensure adherence with a VAP prevention bundle lowered VAP rates in a community-hospital open MICU. The team had interdepartmental and administrative support and addressed any deficiencies in the VAP prevention bundle components actively.

Impact of four sequential measures on the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in cardiac surgery patients

Introduction

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most frequent infection in patients admitted to intensive care units.

The efficacy of individual measures for the prevention of VAP is well documented, and data on the impact of implementing bundle measures have usually been reported from studies in which several measures are implemented simultaneously in the general intensive care unit (ICU).

The objective of our work was to evaluate the impact of four sequentially implemented measures for preventing VAP in a major heart surgery ICU. The measures were a specific training program, aspiration of subglottic secretions (ASSs), introduction of an inclinometer to improve the semirecumbent position, and reinforcement of oral care with chlorhexidine.

Methods

We compared rates of VAP, days on mechanical ventilation (MV), and cost of antimicrobial agents before and during implementation.

Results

We collected data from 401 patients before the intervention and from 1,534 patients during the intervention. Both groups were comparable. No significant differences in EuroSCORE were observed between the patients of both periods (6.4 versus 6.3; P = 0.7). The rates of VAP (episodes/1,000 days of ventilation) were, respectively, 23.9 versus 13.5 (P = 0.005). Mean number of days of MV/1,000 days of stay was 507 versus 375 (P = 0.001), and the cost of antimicrobial therapy (Euros/1,000 days of stay) was €70,612 versus €52,775 (P = 0.10). The main effect of sequential application of preventive measures in time achieved a relative-rate reduction of VAP of 41% (IRR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.62). The mortality rate before and during the intervention was 13.0% and 10.2%, respectively.

VAP rate was most significantly reduced by training and the use of the inclinometer.

Conclusions

A sequentially applied bundle of four preventive measures reduces VAP rates, days of MV, and the cost of antimicrobial therapy in patients admitted to the major heart surgery ICU.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02060045. Registered 4 February 2014.