Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Why this measure is important:
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital-acquired infection in pediatric Intensive Care Units (ICUs) nationally.
- Research has shown that children who acquire VAP in the hospital are at high risk of multiple serious complications.
How we measure:
Number of associated pneumonias per 1,000 ventilator days. Each day that the patient is on a ventilator counts as one ventilator day
* Denotes chart annotations, including: specific improvement interventions, definition and / or other specification changes
What we are doing to improve:
- Implementing process changes, including placement of the head of the bed at a 30 degree angle which have been shown to help prevent VAP
- Exploring the use of new technology to improves care including the use of a specific type of ventilator tubing material which helps prevent the growth of bacteria
- Redesigning workspace around the bedside to improve the efficiency of care delivered to patients on mechanical ventilators
- Reviewing VAP occurrences and related data to identify ways for preventing future VAPs
- Participation in the national improvement collaborative - Solutions for Patient Safety, aimed at eliminating all patient harm. Participants share ideas and data to create learning opportunities and accelerate improvement among hospitals nationally.
View the Operational Definition: Ventilator Associated Pneumonia
