The Development of a 10-Item Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Care Bundle in the General Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital in Vietnam: Lessons Learned

We developed a 10-item VAP care bundle to address the high incidence of VAP in Vietnamese intensive care units (ICUs), comprising (i) hand hygiene, (ii) head elevation (gatch up 30-45°), (iii) oral care, (iv) oversedation avoidance, (v) breathing circuit management, (vi) cuff pressure control, (vii) subglottic suctioning of secretions, (viii) daily assessment for weaning and a spontaneous breath trial (SBT), (ix) early ambulation and rehabilitation, and (x) prophylaxis of peptic ulcers and deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). The VAP incidence (27.0 per 1000 mechanical ventilation days) slightly and not significantly decreased in the six months after the implementation of the care bundle. However, the VAP incidence (11.3 per 1000 mechanical ventilation days) significantly decreased when we updated the two-item protocol with interactive communication and education ( < 0.001). Although the effectiveness of the interventions via protocol updates with interactive education needs further study, this intervention can make a VAP care bundle work in a resource-constrained and multidrug-resistant environment.