Nursing Practice for Prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in ICUs at Public Hospitals in Sana’a, City-Yemen

Abstract

Background: Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia is a known serious health hazard among patients on mechanical ventilation with mortality rate ranges from 6- 60% and as high as 74%. Aim: To identify nursing practice for prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia in ICUs at public hospitals in Sana’a, City-Yemen. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out among ICU nurses at public hospitals in Sana'a City-Yemen. The sample size was determined by using EpiCalc program, 2000. A stratified random sampling was carried out to select the sample from 4 major public hospitals. Data were collected using an observational checklist, 50 nurses were tested for practice. Data coded and entered into SPSS version 21.0 for descriptive and inferential statistics. Approval, and consent form were obtained. Results: The ICU nurses, (60%) were female, (50%) were married with age mean ± SD, 28.4±4.5 years. About (54%) had working experience from 1-3 years. Two third (66%) the nurses had a diploma degree, (52%) had no courses training in ICU and (82%) had no training program on the prevention of VAP. 52% of nurses had a poor level of practices, (42%) had a moderate level and (6%) had a good level of practice. Level of Nurses’ practice was statistically associated with ICU training course (P-value= 0.03) and years of work experience (p-value 0.050) but no association between level of practice and marital status, educational level, training program on prevention of VAP and diploma in respiratory therapy (P-value>0.05). Conclusion: ICU nurses’ practice was found to be poor (52%). Increasing practices of nurses staff through the courses training, workshop, and curriculums.