Implementation of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention Bundle among ICU Nurses in Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve the knowledge regarding ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and practices of VAP prevention bundle among the intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in Salmaniya Medical Complex in Bahrain. Methods: A quasi- experimental study was conducted in the main ICU of Salmaniya Medical Complex in Bahrain from October 2021 to January 2022. A convenience sampling technique was used, and 58 ICU staff nurses were enrolled in the study. Tools used for data collection were a self-administered questionnaire to assess ICU nurses knowledge and an observational checklist to assess the adherence of ICU nurses to the VAP prevention bundle. Results: Of 58 total study subjects, almost three-quarters of the ICU nurses 42 (72%) had poor knowledge of VAP prior to the educational intervention. However, after the implementation, the proportion increased with 46 (79%) of the nurses acquiring good knowledge about the VAP and 56 (97%) of the ICU nurses acquiring good knowledge of the VAP prevention bundle. Overall, there was a significant improvement in the median score of adherences to the VAP prevention bundle elements before and after the intervention (p-value ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: This study concluded that the levels of knowledge about VAP and practices of the VAP prevention bundle can be improved by implementing a relevant educational program for ICU nurses. The findings of this study also provide evidence of the importance of a continuous training program for ICU nurses to ensure quality patient care in the critical care units.