Knowledge of ICU Nurses Toward Prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia at Public Hospitals in Sana’a, City-Yemen

Abstract

Abstract Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is define as a type of pneumonia in a patient receiving mechanical ventilation that was not present at the time of admission to hospital or that occurs 48 hours after intubation and mechanical ventilation. Aim: To determine the knowledge of ICU nurses on prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia at public hospitals in Sana'a city. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among ICU nurses at public hospitals in Sana'a City-Yemen. The sample size was determined using EpiCalc 2000. A stratified random sampling was applied to select the sample from 4 major public hospitals. Data were collected using questionnaire, 87 nurses were tested for knowledge. Data were coded and entered into SPSS version 21.0 for descriptive and inferential statistics. Information letters, consent form, were obtained. Results: The ICU nurses, (54%) were female, (50.6%) were married with age mean ± SD, 28.4±4.2 year. About (55.2 %) had working experience from 1-3 years. Two third (65.5 %) the nurses had a diploma degree, (51.7%) had courses training in ICU and (81.6%) had no training program on the prevention of VAP. (57.5%) of ICU nurses had moderate knowledge regarding prevention of VAP, (36.8%) had poor knowledge and (5.7%) had good knowledge. No association between knowledge and ICU training, sex and years of working experience (P-value>0.05). A significant association between knowledge toward prevention VAP and level of education (P-value=0.001). Conclusion: ICU nurses’ knowledge of VAP prevention was inadequate was found to be poor. Increasing knowledge of intensive care unit nursing staff through the courses training, workshop, and curriculums.