A learning programme for nurses for the prevention of ventilator-associated infections in adult patients
Date
2005-12
Authors
Van der Merwe, Juliana
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
Ventilator-associated infections contribute to most of the fatal infections in the intensive care.
Considerable intensive care resources are also consumed in the treatment of ventilatorassociated
infections. Not only economic costs, but also expenditure of staff energies, physical
resources, treatment expenses and admission to the intensive care contribute to the complexity
of the problem. Despite the large progress in medical treatment over the past decades, the
incidence and case fatality rates of health-care-associated ventilator-associated infections
remain high. Patients who require mechanical ventilation have a particularly high risk of healthcare-
associated infections.
Ventilator-associated infections have been a major complication for years, but the researcher
has found that no formal attempts, except for inclusion of the concept as part of critical care
nursing curricula, have been made to educate nurses with regard to the active prevention of
ventilator-associated infections in adult patients. There are also limited data available
regarding infection control education-based interventions targeting healthcare systems, e.g.
intensive care units.
The research goal was to establish and evaluate a learning programme for nurses caring for
adult patients with ventilator-associated infections (Learning Programme). This took place in two
Australian hospitals during 2003 and 2004. The objectives of the research were divided into
three phases. Evidenced-based literature on the above concepts was utilised by the researcher
and deductively implemented and validated by a focus (specialist) group to develop the Learning
Programme in Phase One.
Description
Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Curriculum studies, Theses -- Curriculum studies, Intensive care nursing, Nurses -- Training of