Sheila O’Keefe-McCarthy et al. (2008) state that Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) remains a significant and severe complication of ventilator care, particularly in high tech, high touch environments such as Intensive Care Units (ICUs). VAP is characterized as pneumonia occurring 48 hours or more after the use of an endotracheal or tracheostomy tube, which was not present before. It is the most prevalent and fatal infection found in ICUs, resulting in a 28% increase in patient stay and generating additional costs ranging from £6,000 to £22,000 per occurrence according to Wagh et al. (2009).
To reduce mortality caused by Ventilator Associated Pneumonia, it is essential to implement an organized process that ensures early detection of pneumonia and consistent use of evidence-based practices. In 2006, the Institution for Health Improvement (IHI) developed the Ventilator Bundle (Appendix 1) that includes a series of interventions
...related to ventilator care. By implementing these interventions together, better outcomes can be achieved compared to individual implementation. One significant intervention in the Ventilator Bundle involves the elevation of the patient's head at a recommended angle of at least 30 degrees. This paper provides a concise overview of the causes of VAP and the Ventilator Bundle. It also offers an in-depth analysis focusing on ICU patient positioning and its role in preventing Ventilator Associated Pneumonia, as well as current practice.
Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) arises due to intubation which impairs the body's natural defense against respiratory infections. This is because placing an endotracheal tube eliminates cough reflexes that serve to safeguard the airway from invasive pathogens.
Endotracheal tube placement in ventilation hinders the clearance of secretions and depresses reflexes in the epiglottis. This allows virulen
bacteria from excess secretions or aspirated oesophageal or stomach contents to pool and leak around the inflated endotracheal cuff. This can infiltrate the lungs and cause pneumonia by providing a medium for pathogen growth (Vincent, 2004). Elevating the head of the bed is a crucial element of the Ventilator Bundle and is associated with a reduced rate of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia. The recommended angle of elevation is 30 to 45 degrees (IHI, 2010). This essay will critically analyze this statement using Keeley's 2007 research paper, "Reducing the risk of ventilator-acquired pneumonia through head of bed elevation." The paper was published by the British Association of Critical Care Nurses, which is a leading organization in critical care nursing (BACCN, 2010). The paper is up to date, relevant, and qualitative as it specifically pertains to patient positioning in the prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia.
It is worth noting that Keeley, who wrote the text, is an expert in the field of nursing, particularly ITU and Ventilator Associated Pneumonia. This is because she is a critical care sister at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in the UK.
- Hospital essays
- Physician essays
- Health Care Provider essays
- Universal Health Care essays
- Readmission essays
- Addiction essays
- Anatomy and Physiology essays
- Biodegradation essays
- Cancer essays
- Dental Care essays
- Disability essays
- Disease essays
- Disorders essays
- Health Care essays
- Infectious Disease essays
- Inquiry essays
- Intelligence Quotient essays
- Lung Cancer essays
- Medicine essays
- Neurology essays
- Nutrition essays
- Olfaction essays
- Physical Exercise essays
- Public Health essays
- Sex essays
- Women's Health essays
- World health organization essays
- alternative medicine essays
- Aspirin essays
- Cannabis essays
- Cardiology essays
- Cloning essays
- Dentist essays
- drugs essays
- Hemoglobin essays
- Medical essays
- Medical Ethics essays
- Organ Donation essays
- Patient essays
- Pharmacology essays
- Plastic Surgery essays
- Surgery essays
- Therapy essays
- Vaccines essays
