Current Practice in Airway Management: A Descriptive Evaluation

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Kjonegaard ◽  
Willa Fields ◽  
Major L. King

Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia, a common complication of mechanical ventilation, could be reduced if health care workers implemented evidence-based practices that decrease the risk for this complication. Objectives To determine current practice and differences in practices between registered nurses and respiratory therapists in managing patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Methods A descriptive comparative design was used. A convenience sample of 41 registered nurses and 25 respiratory therapists who manage critical care patients treated with mechanical ventilation at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, La Mesa, California, completed a survey on suctioning techniques and airway management practices. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results Significant differences existed between nurses and respiratory therapists for hyperoxygenation before suctioning (P =.03). In the 2 groups, nurses used the ventilator for hyper-oxygenation more often, and respiratory therapists used a bag-valve device more often (P =.03). Respiratory therapists instilled saline (P <.001) and rinsed the closed system with saline after suctioning (P =.003) more often than nurses did. Nurses suctioned oral secretions (P <.001) and the nose of orally intubated patients (P =.01), brushed patients’ teeth with a toothbrush (P<.001), and used oral swabs to clean the mouth (P <.001) more frequently than respiratory therapists did. Conclusion Nurses and respiratory therapists differed significantly in the management of patients receiving mechanical ventilation. To reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, both nurses and respiratory therapists must be consistent in using best practices when managing patients treated with mechanical ventilation.

2021 ◽  
pp. 64-65
Author(s):  
Bharti Choudhary ◽  
Nishchint Sharma

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most frequent ICU-acquired infections and a leading cause of death among patients in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). VAP is associated with prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. The estimated mortality of VAP is around 10%. There are many risk factors including host related, device related and personnel related. For prevention of VAP it is recommended to minimize the exposure to mechanical ventilation and encouraging early liberation. VAP bundle as a group of evidence-based practices that, results in decrease in the incidence of VAP should be used. Patients should be reassessed daily to conrm ongoing suspicion of disease, antibiotics should be guided by cultures reports, and clinicians should consider stopping antibiotics if cultures are 1 negative.


2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Jo Grap

As many as half of critically ill patients require mechanical ventilation. In this article, a program of research focused on reduction of risk associated with mechanical ventilation is reviewed. Airway management practices can have profound effects on outcomes in these patients. How patients are suctioned, types of processes used, effects of suctioning in patients with lung injury, and open versus closed suctioning systems all have been examined to determine best practices. Pneumonia is a common complication of mechanical ventilation (ventilator-associated pneumonia), and use of higher backrest elevations reduces risk of pneumonia, although compliance with such recommendations varies. The studies reviewed here describe backrest elevation practices, factors that affect backrest elevation, and the effect of backrest elevation on ventilator-associated pneumonia. Oral care strategies also have been investigated to determine their effect on ventilator-associated pneumonia. Oral care practices are reported to hold a low care priority, vary widely across care providers, and differ in intubated versus nonintubated patients. However, in several studies, oral applications of chlorhexidine have reduced the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Although ventilator patients require sedation, sedation is associated with significant risks. The overall goals of sedation are to provide physiological stability, to maintain ventilator synchrony, and to ensure patients’ comfort—although methods to evaluate achievement of these goals are limited. Reducing risks associated with mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients is a complex and interdisciplinary process. Our understanding of the risks associated with mechanical ventilation is constantly changing, but care of these patients must be based on the best evidence.


2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad Hiner ◽  
Tomoyo Kasuya ◽  
Christine Cottingham ◽  
JoAnne Whitney

Background Head-of-bed elevation of 30° to 45° is important in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia, but clinicians’ perception and determination of head-of-bed elevation are not widely reported.Objectives To (1) document the accuracy of clinicians’ perception of head-of-bed elevation, (2) document methods clinicians use to determine the head-of-bed angle, and (3) assess knowledge of recommended head-of-bed elevation.Methods Clinicians (n = 175) viewed a simulated patient with head of bed elevated 30° and elevation gauge concealed. They answered 3 questions: What is the level of the head of the bed? What head-of-bed elevation is associated with decreased incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia? When providing care, how do you routinely determine the head-of-bed elevation?Results Fifty percent of 89 registered nurses and 53% of 39 physicians identified head-of-bed elevation correctly (±5°). Head-of-bed elevation was perceived accurately by 86% of 21 respiratory therapists, 63% of 16 medical assistants, and 50% of 10 physical/occupational therapists. Ninety-five percent of nurses and respiratory therapists, 79% of physicians, 90% of physical/occupational therapists, and 46% of medical assistants correctly identified the head-of-bed angle associated with decreases in occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Techniques for determining the angle varied; 58% of respondents reported using the gauge.Conclusions Head-of-bed angle was perceived correctly by 50% to 86% of clinicians. Nurses tended to underestimate the angle, whereas other clinicians tended to overestimate. Nurses, respiratory therapists, and physical/occupational therapists showed the best understanding of the correct angle for minimizing occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Elevation gauges were most often used to determine the angle.


2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Lou Sole ◽  
Jacqueline F. Byers ◽  
Jeffery E. Ludy ◽  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Christine M. Banta ◽  
...  

• Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia, common in critically ill patients, is associated with microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions and may be related to suctioning and airway management practices.• Objectives To describe institutional policies and procedures related to closed-system suctioning and airway management of intubated patients, and to compare practices of registered nurses and respiratory therapists.• Methods A descriptive, comparative, multisite study of facilities that use closed-system suctioning devices on most intubated adults was conducted. Nurses and respiratory therapists who worked at the sites completed surveys related to their practices.• Results A total of 1665 nurses and respiratory therapists at 27 sites throughout the United States responded. The typical respondent had at least 6 years’ experience with patients receiving mechanical ventilation (61%) and a baccalaureate degree or higher (54%). Most sites had policies for management of endotracheal tube cuffs (93%), hyperoxygenation (89%) and use of gloves (70%) with closed-system suctioning, and instillation of isotonic sodium chloride solution for thick secretions (74%). Only 48% of policies addressed oral care and 37% addressed oral suctioning. Nurses did more oral suctioning and oral care than respiratory therapists did, and respiratory therapists instilled sodium chloride solution more and rinsed the suctioning device more often than nurses did.• Conclusions Policies vary widely and do not always reflect current research. Consistent performance of practices such as wearing gloves for airway management and maintaining endotracheal cuff pressures must be evaluated. Collaborative, research-based policies and procedures must be developed and implemented to ensure best practices for intubated patients.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Lou Sole ◽  
Melody Bennett

BackgroundAirway management, an essential component of care for patients receiving mechanical ventilation, is multifaceted and includes oral hygiene and suctioning, endotracheal suctioning, and care of endotracheal tubes. Registered nurses and respiratory care personnel often share responsibilities for airway management. Knowledge of current practices can help facilitate evidence-based practices to optimize care of patients receiving mechanical ventilation.ObjectivesTo describe current practices for airway management of intubated patients and determine if practices differ between registered nurses and respiratory care practitioners.MethodsA descriptive, comparative design was used. Registered nurses and respiratory care practitioners who provided direct care to intubated patients receiving mechanical ventilation were recruited to complete an online survey of self-reported practices.ResultsA total of 85 participants completed the survey. Most were experienced caregivers with a bachelor’s degree and certification or registration in their field. Selected practices have improved, including increasing oxygen saturation before endotracheal suctioning, maintaining pressure of endotracheal tube cuffs, and providing oral hygiene and suctioning. The practices of registered nurses and respiratory care practitioners differed in many ways. The nurses assumed responsibility for oral antisepsis, whereas the respiratory care practitioners managed the endotracheal tube. The 2 groups shared responsibility for oral and endotracheal suctioning. Knowledge of current guidelines for endotracheal suctioning was lacking.ConclusionsPractices in airway management have improved, but opportunities exist to develop shared policies and procedures based on current evidence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Lewis Dzimbiri ◽  
Alex Molefakgotla

The Malawi government established and implemented various talent management practices within public hospitals in the country to enhance accessibility, productivity and energy of its health personnel, and to boost the quality of health service delivery. Innovative work behaviours such as the creation, introduction and application of new ideas are key to achieving productivity, accessibility and energy of health personnel. The sure way of achieving innovative work behaviour is through the implementation of talent management. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of talent management on innovative work behaviour of registered nurses in public hospitals of Malawi. A quantitative research approach was employed, and an adapted Innovative Work Behaviour Questionnaire (IWB) was administered to a convenience sample of 947 (N=947) registered nurses in public hospitals of Malawi. The results of the study showed that talent management practices did not contribute to innovative work behaviour of registered nurses in public hospitals of Malawi. The study, therefore, recommends that management of public hospitals should pay attention to effective talent management practices of healthcare workers, particularly that of nurses in public hospitals. The implication of this study to management in public hospitals is that the results can be used to improve the application of talent management practices at healthcare facilities and help to advance innovative work behaviour of healthcare workers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. S400-S408
Author(s):  
Zongsheng Wu ◽  
Yao Liu ◽  
Jingyuan Xu ◽  
Jianfeng Xie ◽  
Shi Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Mechanical ventilation is crucial for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients and diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in ARDS patients is challenging. Hence, an effective model to predict VAP in ARDS is urgently needed. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of patient-level data from the Early versus Delayed Enteral Nutrition (EDEN) of ARDSNet randomized controlled trials. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis established a predictive model, incorporating characteristics selected by systematic review and univariate analyses. The model’s discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness were assessed using the C-index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results Of the 1000 unique patients enrolled in the EDEN trials, 70 (7%) had ARDS complicated with VAP. Mechanical ventilation duration and intensive care unit (ICU) stay were significantly longer in the VAP group than non-VAP group (P < .001 for both) but the 60-day mortality was comparable. Use of neuromuscular blocking agents, severe ARDS, admission for unscheduled surgery, and trauma as primary ARDS causes were independent risk factors for VAP. The area under the curve of the model was .744, and model fit was acceptable (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = .185). The calibration curve indicated that the model had proper discrimination and good calibration. DCA showed that the VAP prediction nomogram was clinically useful when an intervention was decided at a VAP probability threshold between 1% and 61%. Conclusions The prediction nomogram for VAP development in ARDS patients can be applied after ICU admission, using available variables. Potential clinical benefits of using this model deserve further assessment.


2020 ◽  
pp. 004947552098245
Author(s):  
Pooja Kumari ◽  
Priya Datta ◽  
Satinder Gombar ◽  
Deepak Sharma ◽  
Jagdish Chander

The aim of our study was to determine the incidence, microbiological profile, risk factors and outcomes of patients diagnosed with ventilator-associated events in our tertiary care hospital. In this prospective study, intensive care patients put on mechanical ventilation for >48 h were enrolled and monitored daily for ventilator-associated event according to Disease Centre Control guidelines. A ventilator-associated event developed in 33/250 (13.2%); its incidence was 3.5/100 mechanical ventilation days. The device utilisation rate was 0.86, 36.4% of patients had early and 63.6% late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia whose most common causative pathogen was Acinetobacter sp. (63.6%). Various factors were significantly associated with a ventilator-associated event: male gender, COPD, smoking, >2 underlying diseases, chronic kidney disease and elevated acute physiological and chronic health evaluation II scores. Therefore, stringent implementation of infection control measures is necessary to control ventilator-associated pneumonia in critical care units.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s407-s409
Author(s):  
Ksenia Ershova ◽  
Oleg Khomenko ◽  
Olga Ershova ◽  
Ivan Savin ◽  
Natalia Kurdumova ◽  
...  

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) represents the highest burden among all healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), with a particularly high rate in patients in neurosurgical ICUs. Numerous VAP risk factors have been identified to provide a basis for preventive measures. However, the impact of individual factors on the risk of VAP is unclear. The goal of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of various VAP risk factors given the continuously declining prevalence of VAP in our neurosurgical ICU. Methods: This prospective cohort unit-based study included neurosurgical patients who stayed in the ICU >48 consecutive hours in 2011 through 2018. The infection prevention and control (IPC) program was implemented in 2010 and underwent changes to adopt best practices over time. We used a 2008 CDC definition for VAP. The dynamics of VAP risk factors was considered a time series and was checked for stationarity using theAugmented Dickey-Fuller test (ADF) test. The data were censored when a risk factor was present during and after VAP episodes. Results: In total, 2,957 ICU patients were included in the study, 476 of whom had VAP. Average annual prevalence of VAP decreased from 15.8 per 100 ICU patients in 2011 to 9.5 per 100 ICU patients in 2018 (Welch t test P value = 7.7e-16). The fitted linear model showed negative slope (Fig. 1). During a study period we observed substantial changes in some risk factors and no changes in others. Namely, we detected a decrease in the use of anxiolytics and antibiotics, decreased days on mechanical ventilation, and a lower rate of intestinal dysfunction, all of which were nonstationary processes with a declining trend (ADF testP > .05) (Fig. 2). However, there were no changes over time in such factors as average age, comorbidity index, level of consciousness, gender, and proportion of patients with brain trauma (Fig. 2). Conclusions: Our evidence-based IPC program was effective in lowering the prevalence of VAP and demonstrated which individual measures contributed to this improvement. By following the dynamics of known VAP risk factors over time, we found that their association with declining VAP prevalence varies significantly. Intervention-related factors (ie, use of antibiotics, anxiolytics and mechanical ventilation, and a rate of intestinal dysfunction) demonstrated significant reduction, and patient-related factors (ie, age, sex, comorbidity, etc) remained unchanged. Thus, according to the discriminative model, the intervention-related factors contributed more to the overall risk of VAP than did patient-related factors, and their reduction was associated with a decrease in VAP prevalence in our neurosurgical ICU.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Gragueb-Chatti ◽  
Alexandre Lopez ◽  
Dany Hamidi ◽  
Christophe Guervilly ◽  
Anderson Loundou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Dexamethasone decreases mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has become the standard of care during the second wave of pandemic. Dexamethasone is an immunosuppressive treatment potentially increasing the risk of secondary hospital acquired infections in critically ill patients. We conducted an observational retrospective study in three French intensive care units (ICUs) comparing the first and second waves of pandemic to investigate the role of dexamethasone in the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and blood stream infections (BSI). Patients admitted from March to November 2020 with a documented COVID-19 and requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) for ≥ 48 h were included. The main study outcomes were the incidence of VAP and BSI according to the use of dexamethasone. Secondary outcomes were the ventilator-free days (VFD) at day-28 and day-60, ICU and hospital length of stay and mortality. Results Among the 151 patients included, 84 received dexamethasone, all but one during the second wave. VAP occurred in 63% of patients treated with dexamethasone (DEXA+) and 57% in those not receiving dexamethasone (DEXA−) (p = 0.43). The cumulative incidence of VAP, considering death, duration of MV and late immunosuppression as competing factors was not different between groups (p = 0.59). A multivariate analysis did not identify dexamethasone as an independent risk factor for VAP occurrence. The occurrence of BSI was not different between groups (29 vs. 30%; p = 0.86). DEXA+ patients had more VFD at day-28 (9 (0–21) vs. 0 (0–11) days; p = 0.009) and a reduced ICU length of stay (20 (11–44) vs. 32 (17–46) days; p = 0.01). Mortality did not differ between groups. Conclusions In this cohort of COVID-19 patients requiring invasive MV, dexamethasone was not associated with an increased incidence of VAP or BSI. Dexamethasone might not explain the high rates of VAP and BSI observed in critically ill COVID-19 patients.


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