Ventilator Associated Pneumonia and Nursing Care

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most important hospital–acquired infection in intensive care unit. Risk factors for the development of VAP can be classified as preventable or unpreventable risk factors. Unpreventable risk factors include patientrelated risk factors such as age, gender, co-morbidite, or treatment-related risk factors which developed secondary to a surgical operation. Preventable risk factors include supine positioning, enteral nutrition, inadequate subglottic aspiration, stres ulcer prophylaxis, cuff pressure 20 cmH2O, nasal entubation, poor compliance of hand hygiene, and tracheostomy. To reduce the development of VAP in patients with mechanical ventilation is likely with the application of proper infection control measures and the elimination of preventable risk factors. Intensive care nurses play an important role in the elimination of preventable risk factors. This article is written for the purpose of increasing the knowledge level of our colleagues about VAP and its nursing care.