Nurses' knowledge and compliance with standard operating procedures for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia among patients at Princess Marina Hospital Intensive Care Unitin Gaborone, Botswana

Abstract

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a significant global healthcare concern, contributing to high mortality rates of 24% to 76%, high morbidity rates and prolonged lengths of hospital stay, particularly in low to middle-income countries. Intensive care unit nurses, who have constant contact with patients, must know how to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia and comply with several standard prevention strategies.

Aim: This study evaluated nurses' knowledge and compliance with standard operating procedures for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia among patients in the Princess Marina Hospital intensive care unit in Gaborone, Botswana.

Methodology:  A descriptive cross-sectional study involved (n=19) from a population of 21 Princess Marina Intensive Care Unit nurses. Data was collected using a self-administered, structured questionnaire and an observational checklist and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 29. Descriptive statistics were used, and the Fisher exact test determined relationships between variables, with significance set at P< 0.05.

Results: The results showed 63.2% good knowledge, 31.6% self-reported good compliance, and 0% observed good compliance.  There were no significant associations between years of intensive care unit experience, receipt of training on preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia, nurses' knowledge of VAP prevention and self-reported compliance.

Conclusion: The identified knowledge gap among nurses and low compliance require enhanced in-service lectures and structured educational programs on ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention to enhance nurses’ knowledge. Regular updates to standard operating procedures and frequent file audits accompanied by feedback should be emphasised to improve nurses' compliance and guide nurses properly in current best practices.