Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Case Study

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Ventilator Associated Pneumonia
Abstract
Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common infections that are acquired through many ways and is particularly found in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). One of the primary risk factors that lead to the development of VAP is the availability of an endotracheal tube. In many cases, the intubation process takes place in the emergency room (ER), pre-hospital, and in the operation room. In the current world, VAP has been directly associated with the increased costs and prolonged hospital stay. Numerous evidence-based guidelines (protocols and procedures) have been put in place to minimize the occurrence of VAP and reduce the mortality rate of the patients. Preventive measures have also been …show more content…

The correct definition of this term has created an immense controversy among the scholar whereby some say that it is the cluster of microorganisms bundled together in the material that contains proteins, DNA, and polysaccharides that establish the mechanical scaffold around such living organisms (Fein, 2006). Biofilm forms very fast within the duration of intubation. Positive pressure and suction from the mechanical ventilation leads to detachment of bacteria from the ETT and moves to the interior section of the lower respiratory tract. Some of the pathogens that lead to VAP include; Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Enterococci. Some pathogens can be identified by culture from secretions, the trachea, and the ETT. Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa are highly infectious bacteria that are directly related to the increased rates of mortality among the intubated patients. Treatment and early discovery of VAP can diminish the length of hospital stay, patient mortality, and morbidity (Yunen & Frendl,

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