Oral Care Practices for Mechanically Ventilated Patients in Intensive Care Units by Nursing Staff for Prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)

Objective: To measure Beck oral care assessment score of ventilator dependent patients, and to estimate the knowledge of oral care practice of nursing staff. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Intensive Care Unit (Medical, Surgical and CCU) Combined Military Hospital Sialkot, Pakistan from Oct 2024 to Mar 2025. Methodology: Knowledge of 208 nurses and cadets assessed through a pre-validated questionnaire. The Beck oral assessment score was measured and correlated with frequency of ventilator associated pneumonia as well. The reasons behind the deviation from standard practice were also investigated. Results: Out of 108 patients, 23(21.2%) developed ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) and 85(78.8%) did not developed VAP. The VAP was seen in 5(4.6%) patients with moderate BOAS category and 18(16.6%) patients with severe BOAS category with p value of 0.005. Overall, knowledge was adequate in 186(89.4%) nurses and cadets combined and the most prevalent reason for deviation from standard of care was the shortage of nursing staff which was told by 139(66.8%) members of the group. Conclusion: It was concluded that oral care practices for mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units by nursing staff for prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) are not adequate despite good knowledge due to shortage of staff, limitation of time, paucity of resources and lack of continuity of care.