Course ID: FQUEWU504
Course Name: Evidence Based Nursing Practice: Ventilator Associated Pneumonia
Credits: 1

This one-contact hour home-study continuing education program focuses on caring for the person at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia. The essential aspects associated with disease acquisition and consequences are discussed. Nursing interventions based on evidence from a systematic review of the current research literature are presented.

About the Author: Patricia Jenkins, Ph.D., MBA, RN
Assistant Professor
Dr. Jenkins holds bachelor degrees from Emory University (English and Nursing), and a masters and doctoral degree in nursing from the University of Tennessee, Memphis. She also earned an MBA from Tulane University. Dr. Jenkins enjoys working with students and is exploring ways to blend creative teaching with learning in distance education. She is currently an assistant professor of nursing at Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University.

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this home study continuing education program, the learner will be to:

• Define nosocomial infections and identify the incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia.
• Describe the etiology, pathology and pathogenesis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
• Identify the population at risk for acquiring ventilator-associated pneumonia.
• Discuss three consequences of VAP on the patient and healthcare delivery system.
• Identify evidenced-based nursing strategies found to decrease ventilator-associated pneumonia
  • Physical Strategies
  • Airway Humidification
  • Endotracheal Suctioning
  • Positional Strategies
• Describe two nursing interventions used in the care of patients to decrease the incidence of VAP.