Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia - Free Essay

The evidence-based practice project focuses on the prevention and control of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Since the beginning of the project, there have been various advancements. This paper aims to address the problem, issue, suggestions, initiatives, educational need and how the project has changed since the beginning.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Patients with VAP have high morbidity and mortality rates. From a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2015, among all infections in hospitals across America, 32% accounted for VAP (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). In the facility where the change project occurs, nearly half of the patients in mechanical ventilation pneumonia.

The suggestions for the change include the incorporation of oral chlorhexidine. A study by Li et al. (2015) found that chlorhexidine reduced VAP prevalence in mechanically-ventilated patients. In the project, nurses are tasked with using the initiative of oral chlorhexidine to improve patient outcomes. Nelson (2014) talked about the use of best practice by nurses such as using evidence-based solutions to improve the quality of care. Samonte and Vallente (2020) stated that using evidence-based resources in nursing practices allows for the provision of quality and holistic care. The change project serves as an educational need to help nurses understand the need for oral chlorhexidine to prevent and control VAP.

At the beginning of the project, I envisioned that the nursing intervention used will only be oral chlorhexidine because of its success in evidence-based research. However, as the project has progressed, the intervention will include a combination of chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine to prevent and control VAP. The reason for the current perspective and directive is that both antiseptics can work to prevent and control VAP in case the hospital depletes either one.

Overall, VAP is a health care problem that causes high morbidity and mortality rates. Antiseptics such as chlorhexidine and Povidone-iodine would help prevent and control VAP. It is believable that at the end of the project, nurses will manage to improve patients’ health outcomes.

References

Bridges E. J. (2015). Research at the bedside: It makes a difference. American Journal of

Critical Care: An official Publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 24(4), 283–289. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2015586

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, January). Pneumonia (Ventilator-associated

[VAP] and non-ventilator-associated Pneumonia [PNEU]) Event. https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/6pscVAPcurrent.pdf

Li, L., Ai, Z., Li, L., Zheng, X., & Jie, L. (2015). Can routine oral care with antiseptics prevent

ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients receiving mechanical ventilation? An updated meta-analysis from 17 randomized controlled trials. International journal of clinical and experimental medicine, 8(2), 1645–1657. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402740/

Nelson A. M. (2014). Best practice in nursing: a concept analysis. International Journal of

Nursing Studies, 51(11), 1507–1516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2014.05.003

Samonte, P. R. V., & Vallente, R. U. (2020). Evidence-based practice (EBP). Salem Press Encyclopedia.