Nurse-led implementation of a ventilator-associated pneumonia care bundle in a children’s critical care unit
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Nurse-led implementation of a ventilator-associated pneumonia care bundle in a children’s critical care unit

Charlotte Hill Senior staff nurse, children’s critical care, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford

Charlotte Hill discusses the implementation of a care bundle aimed at reducing the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia and examines the role of the nurse in this process

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the leading cause of death with hospital-acquired infections, and preventing it is one of the Saving Lives initiatives (Department of Health 2007). This article discusses the implementation of a purpose-designed VAP care bundle in a children’s intensive care unit and examines the unique role of nurses in the management of the change process. A nurse-led VAP education, implementation and surveillance programme was set up. Nurse education was paramount, as nursing staff acceptance and involvement was a key feature. A multi-method training strategy was implemented, providing staff with multiple training opportunities and introducing VAP project education as a routine part of staff induction. Bundle compliance was monitored regularly and graphs of the results produced quarterly; feedback proved to be useful in keeping staff informed and engaged in VAP reduction. Comparison of VAP incidence before and after introduction of the care bundle showed a reduction after its implementation. With a co-ordinated, multidisciplinary approach, VAP care bundles can result in significant and sustained reductions in VAP rates in the paediatric intensive care unit. Effective co-ordination and leadership is crucial to successful implementation of the VAP bundle, and nurses are well placed to undertake this role.

Nursing Children and Young People. 28, 4, 23-27. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.28.4.23.s21

Correspondence

charlotte.hill2@ouh.nhs.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to open peer review and has been checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 07 August 2015

Accepted: 27 January 2016

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