PURPOSE This study was aimed at providing scientific evidence for minimizing ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP) by identifying appropriate timing of exchange of circuit for mechanical ventilator that is well suitable for the medical environment of intensive care units of hospitals in Korea. METHOD This was a quasi-experimental study with a convenience sample of 19 adult subjects aged over 18 years who were admitted to the NS ICU of C university hospital, and placed on mechanical ventilator. The subjects were placed in two groups, compared on the incidence rate of VAP after they received exchange of circuit either at 1-week interval (N =10) or 2-week interval (N = 9). RESULT 1) When considering 1000 days as the standard unit of analysis for incidence, the incidence rate of VAP was 7.19 cases at the 1-week cycle exchange group and 15.23 at the 2-week cycle exchange group, showing no statistically significant difference between the two groups. 2) There were a total of 3 types of bacteria isolated from the patients with VAP, including 2 cases with P. aeruginosa, 1 case with Streptococcus group F and A. baumannii. CONCLUSION With thorough hand washing and strict management of tracheal tube of mechanical ventilator as well as use of tracheal intubation techniques, exchange cycle of circuit of mechanical ventilator by nurses may be changed from 1-week to 2-week interval.
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