Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is a nosocomial or hospital acquired lung/airway infection, which develops after being on a ventilator for greater than 48 hours, and the infection is not associated with any other cause. Pneumonia is the second most common cause of hospital acquired infections in the United States and is associated with increased length of stay, cost, and substantial death and disability. Patients on ventilation are at higher risk for developing pneumonia. Therefore, the population at most risk for which this indicator is measured is the patient in the adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The definition and benchmark for this indicator comes from the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). The benchmark is 5.1 infections per 1,000 ventilator days.
The graph below illustrates the measure of that benchmark at our hospital.
Western Baptist Hospital strives to attain the lowest score possible on this measure.
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