Fady Zaben
An Najah National University, Palestine
Title: Critical care nurses' knowledge and practice with ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) prevention bundle in middle and northern West Bank: A descriptive cross-sectional study
Biography
Biography: Fady Zaben
Abstract
Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) continues to be a common and potentially fatal complication of ventilator care. Ventilated and intubated patients present critical care nurses the unique challenge to incorporate evidence-based practices surrounding the delivery of high quality care. Bundled practices approach is composed of individual preventive measures for preventing the incidence and prevalence of VAP and improving outcomes of patients.
Methodology: The methodology involved a descriptive cross-sectional design based study design from 1st of August 2017 to 15th of December 2017. Simple Random sampling has been used to conduct the questionnaires to ICU Nurses. The study was conducted to ICU's Department Nurses in middle and northern West bank cities' hospitals.
Findings: 120 nurses from 6 (57.5%) governmental hospitals and 8 (42.5%) private hospitals in middle and northern West Bank responded to our survey. 57.5% were males and 42.5% were female, only 58.3% received training in their local hospitals. The nurses were most frequently correct (>58%) regarding gastric feeding residual volume every 4-6 hours, preventing unplanned extubation, using non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and performing subglottic suctioning before deflating cuff or repositioning the tube. Nurses had the least (poor) knowledge (<24%) regarding regular oral care with chlorhexidine gluconate every 24 hours, frequency of humidifier and suction systems changes and open suction technique, and oral route for tracheal intubation. The nurses’ knowledge mean total score was 53.8 %. And, holding a Master’s Degree in Nursing (88.2%), 5-10 years of experience (78.4%) and acquisition of a training about VAP prevention guidelines (76%) were shown to be associated with better knowledge scores. But, factors including area of work (private and governmental hospital) and gender had no effect on participant’s knowledge score. The overall, ICU nurses’ practice on prevention of VAP was excellent performed but not associated with ICU training, level of education, area of work and years of work experience. The vast majority (73.3%) of participants indicated that infection control training is very much needed whereas (25.8%) is needed.
Conclusions: The average knowledge and level was moderate whereas practice level was excellent. Professional experience and education level were shown to be associated with better knowledge scores. There is no association between practice with ICU training, level of education and years of work experience. ICU nurses need to be encouraged to translate practice with their knowledge and need for further observational studies to measure nurses practice toward VAP Bundle.