In partnership with the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and CECity, the Armstrong Institute will help hospitals across the country reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia with a checklist, education and culture change. Researchers have used this approach to reduce VAP by 70 percent in Michigan, and aims to roll out the solution to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico with the support of its three-year contract.
The checklist, called the ventilator bundle, includes five interventions for patients on ventilators:
• Elevate the head of the bed more than 30 degrees.
• Reduce sedation to allow patients to follow commands and staff to evaluate readiness to remove the breathing tube daily.
• Provide regular oral care.
• Use special endotracheal tubes to facilitate suctioning of secretions.
• Make patients mobile as quickly as possible, even while still on a ventilator.
The VAP reduction program will also include training on teamwork and communication and other strategies to develop a culture of safety.
More Articles on Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia:
Infection Control Initiative Cuts Pediatric ICU Airway Infections by Half
Study: Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia More Common in Small Hospitals
6-Part Bundle to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Children
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