The Use of Probiotics to Prevent Ventilator Associated Pneumonia

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) accounts for the number one nosocomial infection in mechanically ventilated patients. The most common care given to ventilated patients is known as care bundles. Even with the strict schedule of care bundles, VAP is still a huge issue due to the colonization of bacteria around the endotracheal tub. Research has proven that by adding probiotics into the care bundles for these patients, the incidence of VAP is decreased which results in shorter length of hospital stay and decreased hospital costs for the patient