Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of ICU Nurses regarding Prevention of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP) at a Tertiary Care Hospital, Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia in a patient receiving mechanical ventilation that was not present at the time of admission to hospital or that occurs 48 hours after intubation and mechanical ventilation.Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge and practice scores of ICU nurses, find the association of their knowledge and practice scores with selected demographic variables, and the correlation between their knowledge and practice scores. Methodology: A quantitative research approach with descriptive correlational design was used. 60 staff nurses working in ICUs of SKIMS were selected by non-probability purposive sampling. Assessment of knowledge and practice was done by using a ‘self-structured knowledge questionnaire’ and ‘observation checklist’ respectively.Results: The study showed that maximum staff nurses had moderate knowledge regarding prevention of VAP and majority had unsatisfactory practice. A statistically significant association was found between the knowledge score of nurses and their demographic variables (except gender), and between their practice score and demographic variables (except gender and in-service teaching programme attended regarding prevention of VAP). There was no significant correlation between knowledge and practice scores of study subjects regarding prevention of VAP.Conclusion: The study concluded that the staff nurses working in ICUs lack adequate knowledge and satisfactory practice regarding prevention of VAP. There is a need to conduct in-service education and skill training programmes to improve their knowledge and practice to provide mechanically ventilated patients with the best standard of care possible.