Prevention of VAP: is zero rate possible?

Stijn Blot; Thiago Lisboa; Roser Angles; Jordi Rello

doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2011.05.008

Prevention of VAP: is zero rate possible?

Clin Chest Med. 2011 Sep;32(3):591-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2011.05.008. Epub 2011 Jul 12.

Authors

Stijn Blot¹, Thiago Lisboa, Roser Angles, Jordi Rello

Affiliation

¹ General Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.

PMID: 21867825
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2011.05.008

Abstract

Infection prevention measures, specifically targeting ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), have been purposed as quality-of-care indicators for patients in intensive care units. The authors discuss some of the recent evidence of the prevention of nosocomial infections, with a particular emphasis on VAP. Moreover, there are several pitfalls in considering VAP rates as a safety indicator. Because of these limitations, the authors recommend the use of specific process measures, designed to reduce VAP, as the basis for interinstitutional benchmarking.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Critical Care / standards*
Humans
Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / diagnosis*
Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / prevention & control*
Quality Improvement*
Quality Indicators, Health Care*
Safety