Critical care nursing quarterly
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The prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has been a quality effort that many organizations across the country have undertaken. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the best practices to prevent VAP for our organization were established. Through the interventions of securing the patient resuscitation bag in one location, maintaining the patient's head-of-bed elevation to more than 30 degrees if not contraindicated, Yankauer suction tip care, and the use of chlorhexidine mouth rinse, the incidence of VAP decreased by 43% within a 6-month time frame. Additional ventilator-associated prevention efforts such as sedation and weaning protocols have been established to further enhance preventive efforts.
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Human patient simulation provides students with experiences and skills they might not otherwise encounter in a clinical rotation. It also offers an experience during which the time is suspended, thus affording students time to think critically, make decisions, and act, as opposed to the fast-paced hospital environment where students may have neither a clear picture of the situation nor adequate time to act. ⋯ The evaluation includes student assessment of the simulation process for the development of necessary patient care skills and the ability to test decision-making and critical thinking skills. The experience with the initial integration of simulation into the nursing curriculum is discussed, inclusive of opportunities for improvement.