THE EFFECT OF A COMPREHENSIVE ORAL CARE PROTOCOL ON PATIENTS AT RISK FOR VENTILATOR-ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA

Mechanically ventilated patients are at the highest risk for the second most common nosocomial infection, pneumonia. This retrospective study evaluates the impact of a compre-hensive oral care protocol on the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rate in adult ICU patients. The oral care procedure addresses three recognized VAP risk factors: (1) oropharyngeal colonization, (2) oral secretions that can migrate to the subglottal area and (3) dental plaque. Included are revisions to the policy and procedure, as well as the rationale for procedural components and product selection. Finally, statistical process control methods (SPC) are used to document a decrease in the VAP rate. BACKGROUND Pneumonia is the second most common nosocomial infection in the United States and patients who receive mechanical ventilation are at the highes