Nurse’s role in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia

Abstract

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a major infectious complication in the intensive care unit due to its consequent elevatedmorbidity, mortality and costs. Its prevention is important and preventive interventions are now better known. Several among these preventive actions mainly depend on nurses, like oral hygiene, enteral feeding, check of tracheal cuff pressure, subglottic secretion drainage, sedation and neuromuscular-blocker use, patient position and patient preparation for transport outside the intensive care unit. Ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence highly depends on nurse compliance with the recommended preventive measures