relation: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/23839/
title: Clinical and demographic characteristics of adult ventilator-associated pneumonia patients at a tertiary care hospital system
creator: Edwards, Clare
description: Background:  When a mechanical ventilator is used, the endotracheal tube can act as a track for pathogens to follow into the patient’s lungs where pneumonia can develop.  This project evaluates reported Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) events at an academic tertiary care hospital (TCH) system.    Objectives:  The objectives of this study are to:  1.)  Identify epidemiological data related to VAP, 2.)  Identify the prevalence of possible (ps) and probable (pr) VAP, and 3.)  Compare similar hospital groups for factors influencing cases and outcomes.  Methods:  This project utilized data from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and the TCH medical record system between January 1, 2013 and August 31, 2014.  Only adult VAP patients were included in the study.  Demographic and clinical data were analyzed using SAS 9.3 software.  Results:  White men between 50-70 years of age were the majority of persons to develop VAP while at the TCH system.  Most patients were diagnosed with psVAP, but had no major differences from prVAP patients.  This review shows that daily PEEP values are not being monitored by hospitals.  All hospitals had both a high mortality and a high readmission rate.  Suburban facilities accounted for 76% of psVAP cases, 41% of mortalities, and 60% of all readmissions.  Conclusions:  Infection Prevention teams, especially in suburban hospitals, must identify the cause of high VAP complications and adverse outcomes within the dominant population.  It is important that practice and procedure match to ensure patient safety.  Public Health Significance:  Every community trusts healthcare facilities to provide safe and effective treatment.  However, Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAI) deter individuals from optimal health, and may lead to increased antibiotic use and resistance.  Mechanical ventilation, while essential, breaches protective barriers and increases the risk for potential HAI.  Infection Preventionists aid patients on their journey to better health by working to eliminate HAIs.  This study is the first step to aid Infection Prevention teams throughout the healthcare system in encouraging continued surveillance, evaluation of practice and procedure, and decreasing hospital-acquired infections overall to reinforce community safety.
date: 2015-01-28
type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
type: PeerReviewed
format: application/pdf
language: en
identifier: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/23839/1/Clare_Edwards_ETD_12_2014.pdf
identifier:   Edwards, Clare  (2015) Clinical and demographic characteristics of adult ventilator-associated pneumonia patients at a tertiary care hospital system.  Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.    (Unpublished)