Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia

Paper Summary:

This paper defines ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP) as a specific strain of bacterial pneumonia which takes place when one's general pulmonary defense system ceases to function properly due to high levels of bacteria. The writer of this paper contends and explains why this particular strain of infectious bacterial pneumonia is often incurred during extended hospital stays. This paper details the manner in which the disease is spread via bodily fluids such as tears and saliva. This paper analyzes the use of specialized oral care positioning to both treat and prevent cases VAP. This paper also examines the success rate of preventative oral care at the Vanderbilt Medical Center in Tennessee.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Oral Care to Reduce Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia
Elevating Heads of Beds for Patients on Mechanical Ventilation
Other Precautions
References

From the Paper:

"One of the places where changes have been implemented through oral care and there have been improvements is the surgical intensive care unit at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The incidence of ventilator assisted pneumonia was increasing at this hospital from 1999 to 2001. This led the center to start using comprehensive oral care from January 2002 as a part of a total program to remove the incidence of ventilator assisted pneumonia from the center. The change began to give perceptible results to the therapists and the nurses within a period of months. The changes were noted and within a two year period, there was a reduction of ventilator assisted pneumonia by as much as 46 percent. When the figures for 2002 are compared to figures for 2001, there is a clear decrease by 35 percent and there is another decrease that is seen in 2003 when compared to the figures of 2002."

More papers on Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia:

• Article Review # 85450 : "Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia"
• Article Review # 150339 : "Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia"
• Term Paper # 144634 : "Ventilator-Assisted Pneumonia in the ICU"

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