Keywords
Knowledge
Compliance
Critical care nurses
Infection prevention
Tertiary hospitals
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common healthcare associated infections among critically ill patients, particularly those receiving mechanical ventilation. Nurses play a pivotal role in the prevention of VAP through evidence based practices. However, variations in their knowledge and compliance remain a challenge, especially in low and middle income settings.
Aim and Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and compliance of critical care nurses regarding VAP prevention and to determine the association between knowledge and compliance in tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan.
Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted from February to May 2022 at Services Hospital and Mayo Hospital, Lahore. A total of 100 critical care nurses were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a structured, close ended questionnaire. Knowledge and compliance levels were categorized into good, average, and poor based on predefined scoring criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, and the Chi square test was applied to assess associations between knowledge and compliance.
Results: The majority of participants (67%) had average knowledge of VAP prevention, while 25% demonstrated poor knowledge and only 8% exhibited good knowledge. In contrast, 97% of nurses showed good compliance with preventive measures, and only 3% had poor compliance. The Chi square test revealed no statistically significant association between knowledge and compliance (p = 0.062).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that although most nurses demonstrated good compliance with preventive practices, their knowledge levels were largely average. The lack of association between knowledge and compliance indicates that compliance may be influenced more by institutional protocols than by individual knowledge. Continuous professional education, training, and reinforcement of evidence-based guidelines are essential to enhance both knowledge and sustained practice among ICU nurses.