Ventilator associated pneumonia: Knowledge and preventive practices of ICU nurses in selected private tertiary hospitals in Iloilo City

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the level of knowledge and practices of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses on the prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia in selected private tertiary hospitals in Iloilo City. This study also attempted to determine whether the level of knowledge and practices of the nurses are associated with selected work-related characteristics such as educational attainment, length of service, length of service as an intensive care unit nurse, trainings on critical care nursing, trainings on intensive care unit nursing, and workload. All 61 nurses assigned to the intensive care unit during the time of the study participated as respondents of the study. Results revealed that the nurses were mostly holders of Bachelor of Science degrees with two or more years of clinical experience, two or more years of experience in the ICU, have attended trainings on critical care and intensive care unit nursing, and had a workload of 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratio. The majority of the nurses had excellent knowledge and practices on the prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia. Nurses with higher education, over two years of clinical experience, less than two years of ICU experience, have attended trainings on critical care nursing and intensive care unit nursing, and have a high nurse-to-patient ratio had excellent knowledge and practices. Furthermore, it was found that there is a positive correlation between the ICU nurses’ knowledge and their practices on the prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia. It is therefore safe to conclude that the ICU nurses have very good knowledge about and excellent practices on the prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia. Nurses’ knowledge on VAP prevention is influenced by their educational attainment, trainings attended in critical care nursing, and workload. Respondents who had higher education, attended trainings, and have a low workload have greater knowledge on VAP prevention. The practices of nurses on VAP prevention is also influenced by their educational attainment, length of service, trainings attended, and workload. Respondents who had higher education, longer service, attended trainings, and have a low workload have better practices on VAP prevention. In addition, the nurses’ level of knowledge had bearing on their practices. Data revealed that as knowledge increases, the nurses’ practices also improved.