An Evaluation of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Process Measure Sampling Strategies in a Surgical ICU. (September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rawat, Nishi; Yang, Ting; Speck, Kathleen; Helzer, Jennifer; Barenski, Cathleen; Berenholtz, Sean
• Is Part Of: American journal of medical quality. Volume 29:Number 5(2014:Sep./Oct.)
• Page Start: 397
• Page End: 402
• Publication Date: 2014-09
• Subjects: ventilator-associated pneumonia -- critical care -- process assessment -- quality of health care; Medical care -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Utilization review -- Periodicals; Medical care -- United States -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1177/1062860613503707
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1062-8606

Abstract

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is common, lethal, and expensive. Little is known about optimal strategies to evaluate process measures for VAP prevention. The authors conducted a prospective study of different sampling strategies for evaluating head of bed (HOB) elevation and oral care. There was no significant difference between morning and evening shift HOB elevation compliance rates ( P = .47). If oral care was performed at least once during a 12-hour shift, there was an 87% probability that it also was performed at least twice. If oral care was performed at least twice during a 12-hour shift, then there was a 93% probability that chlorhexidine oral care was performed at least once. The results of this study suggest that sampling HOB elevation twice as compared with once daily is unlikely to change the estimate of performance, oral care need not be frequently sampled, and high oral care compliance may predict chlorhexidine oral care compliance.