Use of Ventilator Bundle and Staff Education to Decrease Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Intensive Care Patients.
BACKGROUND
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, has a high mortality rate.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of VAP in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit and to examine the effects of the implementation of ventilator bundles and staff education on its incidence.


METHODS
A 24-month-long before/after study was conducted, divided into baseline, intervention, and postintervention periods. VAP incidence and rate, the microbiological profile, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of stay in the intensive care unit were recorded and compared between the periods.


RESULTS
Of 1097 patients evaluated, 362 met the inclusion criteria. The baseline VAP rate was 21.6 per 1000 ventilator days. During the postintervention period, it decreased to 11.6 per 1000 ventilator days (P = .01). Length of stay in the intensive care unit decreased from 36 to 27 days (P = .04), and duration of mechanical ventilation decreased from 26 to 21 days (P = .06).


CONCLUSIONS
VAP incidence was high in a general intensive care unit in a Greek hospital. However, implementation of a ventilator bundle and staff education has decreased both VAP incidence and length of stay in the unit.
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Maria
M
Parisi
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece. a.icusn@gmail.com.
Vasiliki
V
Gerovasili
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Stavros
S
Dimopoulos
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Efstathia
E
Kampisiouli
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Christina
C
Goga
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Efstathia
E
Perivolioti
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Athina
A
Argyropoulou
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Christina
C
Routsi
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Sotirios
S
Tsiodras
Maria Parisi is a high-dependency unit nurse, Vasiliki Gerovasili is a pulmonologist, Efstathia Kampisiouli is a nursing specialization manager and surgical nurse specialist, Christina Goga is a pulmonologist, Christina Routsi is an associate professor of intensive care medicine, and Serafeim Nanas is a professor of intensive care medicine, First Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Stavros Dimopoulos is an internal medicine-intensive care medicine specialist, John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.Efstathia Perivolioti is a consultant and Athina Argyropoulou is a consultant and director, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Sotirios Tsiodras is an associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases, University of Athens Medical School, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Serafeim
S
Nanas
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D008875:Middle Aged; D064872:Patient Care Bundles / Q000379:methods*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome