Introduction . In High Acute Settings, Such As Intensive

It has been repeatedly stated that oral care is important in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Endotracheal intubation predisposes patients to developing VAP. The tube acts as a conduit from the mouth to the lungs – a perfect track for bacteria to descend upon. Khezeri, et al. (2014) suggest that “the presence of an endotracheal tube (ETT) inhibits normal coughing, normal swallowing, and the protection of the trachea contact by epiglottis closure.” In addition, an endotracheal tube keeps the patients mouth open – leading to dryness. Bacteria are not washed away by saliva. Also, Landgraf, et al. (2017) mention that the presence of an endotracheal tube in the mouth causes “changes in the oral epithelium” which “might indicate risk for infection in intensive care patients

As a nurse in a skilled nursing facility, oral hygiene care is very important, but the importance significantly increases when our patients are functionally dependent or cognitively impaired. These patients are unable to perform this task and depend on nurses to provide daily care. Nurses need to pay close attention for potential problems. They will need to perform assessments, develop oral care plans, and identify preventions and strategies to eliminate any potential problems. Poor oral health has been linked to serious systemic illnesses including diabetes mellitus, stroke, hypertension, myocardial infarction and aspiration pneumonia (Dyck et al., 2012). Patients who suffer from a lack of oral care can have a dramatic impact to their

VAP is defined as a patient who is mechanically ventilated for greater than 48 hours and exhibits three out the five symptoms: fever, increase leukocytosis, change in sputum color or amount, radiographic evidence of new/progressive infiltrates and worsening oxygen requirements along with a culture identifying a bacterial microorganism (CDC, 2008). Risk factors associated with the formation of VAP is the altered oral physiology where there is a decrease in saliva production decreasing the pH level forming an ideal environment for bacteria to grow, respiratory pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonoas aeruginosa which can form a biofilm on the teeth that we know as plaque that can then aspirate and travel down to the lungs (Koeman et al., 2006). Several studies (Munro et al., 2009) have verified that removing bacteria from the oropharynx requires the removal of dental plaque, and the only way to remove the plaque is with toothbrushing. Others found that the majority of nurses use a soft Toothette instead of toothbrushing and that the Toothettes do not

Another assessment tool is the Oral Health Assessment tool and is a condensed alteration of the BOHSE. It can be completed before implementing an individualized oral hygiene care plan. Completing this assessment will help the health care professional assess the patients current oral status and factors, which can contribute to their risk for oral disease. This makes it possible to put into practice the most appropriate care, plan for the residents needs.

The purpose of this document is a critical study and analysis of the oral care provided by nursing staff as part of the Ventilator Care Bundle (VCB) and to assess whether the frequency of mouth care performed is related to the prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) in patients mechanically ventilated (Zilberberg et al. 2009).

Evidence increasingly shows that poor oral health is associated with functional disability that can lead to deficits and decline” (Overview of oral health, 2017). According to an article in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, dental fear can have a significant impact on a person’s awareness of their oral health, as well as one’s pro-active steps towards prevention and treatment. Therefore, it is paramount in helping a patient alleviate their fear by listening to the patient, acknowledging their concerns, and taking things slowly (Yildirim,

Ventilator - associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital acquired infection (HAI) and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates for ventilated patients in intensive care units (Bingham, Ashley, Jong, & Swift, 2010). The VAP increases patients’ mortality rates, length of stay and hospital costs (Hiner, Kasuya, Cottingham, & Whitney, 2010). The VAP is the leading causes of death due to nosocomial infections and the

The patient was keen to get her oral hygiene up to a good standard and prevent any

Among critically-ill patients in acute care facilities, pneumonia is one of the most frequently acquired hospital infections (Curtin, 2011). Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in the United States and it is responsible for approximately 25% of infections that occur in intensive care units (Sedwick et al., 2012). VAP is defined as a hospital-acquired lung infection that develops in patients who are intubated and receiving mechanical ventilation at the time of or within 48 hours prior to the onset of infection (Sedwick et al., 2012; Gianakis et al., 2015). The definition of VAP, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), encompasses a combination of radiological,

is admitted to the intensive care unit with severe necrotizing pancreatitis. A few hours after admission, she developed increasing oxygen requirements and was intubated for hypoxemic respiratory failure. Her interventions include monitoring for signs of infection. The nurse caring for this patient has seen an increase in nosocomial infections in ventilated patients, and was wondering what the relationship was between the number of nursing staff and the risk for nosocomial infections in ventilated patients. The first step of her research would be to include the development of a PICOT statement.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a bacterial infection that occurs in the lower respiratory system within the first 48 hours of endotrachal intubation (Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, Bucher, & Camera, 2011). Although any hospital patient is susceptible to pneumonia, ventilator dependent patients are at the highest risk of acquiring pneumonia. The purpose of this paper is to identify the risk factors, incidences, and preventions of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) using a quantitative research study performed in Malaysia. “The aim of this

Oral care is important to keep up with no matter if you are healthy, or have some sort of syndrome or disease. If oral care is not as important to you as food is, then you may be asking for infection because your mouth is a very dirty environment. It is a bacteria heaven. In this paper, I will address a few different topics. First, we will talk about oral care for patients with autism, then patients that have Down syndrome. Both of these

Clinical problem: Oral care and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is extremely important in all healthcare organizations and has gained increased attention. For this reason, oral care has been introduced in many hospital settings. However, there is not enough evidence on critically ill patients concerning the effect of oral care interventions on the development of VAP. In order to evaluate the effect of oral care on VAP for hospitalized patients, additional studies are required.

From investigation in health practices, ventilator associated pneumonia caught my attention. “Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units. Most episodes of VAP are thought to develop from the aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions containing potentially pathogenic organisms. Aspiration of gastric secretions may also contribute, though likely a lesser degree. Tracheal intubation interrupts the body’s anatomic and physiologic defenses against aspiration, making mechanical ventilation a major risk for Ventilator Associated Pneumonia. Semi-recumbent positioning of mechanically ventilated patients may help reduce the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux and lead to a decreased incidence of VAP. The one randomized trial to date of semi- recumbent positioning shows it to be an effective method of reducing VAP. Immobility in critically ill patients leads to atelectasis and decreased clearance of bronchopulmonary secretions. The accumulation of contaminated oropharyngeal secretions above the endotracheal tube cuff may contribute to the risk of aspiration. Removing these

is currently the second most common nosocomial infection in the United States and is associated with high mortality and morbidity (Seymann, 2008). This paper is a case study of a 52 year old female who was in the hospital for a scheduled gastric bypass surgery. During a post-op test she aspirated dye thus beginning the process of her developing nosocomial pneumonia. The patient was discharged only to return to the emergency department the following day presenting with signs and symptoms of pneumonia. This paper will discuss her diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, nursing care, socioeconomic influences, and diagnostic