The effectiveness of mouth-care practices for preventing ventilator Literature review

The effectiveness of mouth-care practices for preventing ventilator associated pneumonia in ventilated patients - Literature review Example This paper focuses upon ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), an avertable resultant of mechanical ventilation and intubation. VAP is essentially pneumonia that forms in intubated patients within the first 48 or so hours. It normally occurs in patients have been put on a mechanical ventilator support to aid their laboured breathing. As will be noted in the research findings, VAP is preventable through a number of interventions. According to the Institute of Healthcare Improvements, VAP prevention in intubated patients can be done by raising the head of ventilated patients’ beds up to 300, administering blockers such as gastric histamine, using sequential compression devices such as anticoagulants to inhibit venous thromboembolism. In addition, VAP can be averted in intubated patients by administering nurses exercising proper hand hygiene when performing intubation. Furthermore, interrupting daily sedation programs at 10 am to assess neurologic status is a key step aimed at pr eventing VAP in patients. As the dissertation will make clear, oral hygiene is of paramount importance when considering prevention and mitigating effects of VAP. By the end of this paper, it will be clear that coupling the aforementioned preventative bundles and timely oral hygiene measures such as tooth brushing can indeed prevent VAP occurrence. Therefore, this paper supports the premise that oral hygiene is paramount in dealing with and preventing VAP in ventilated patients.... Therefore, this paper supports the premise that oral hygiene is paramount in dealing with and preventing VAP in ventilated patients. Table of Contents 1.0 Abstract ......................................................................................................................... p. 2-3 2.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... p. 5-6 3.0 Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................p.6 4.0 Literature Review ...........................................................................................................p. 6-8 5.0 Research Methods ..........................................................................................................p. 8-10 6.0 List of Tables 6.1 Findings of CHX study............................................................................................ p. 13 6.2 Incident of VAP i n neurologic patients of the ICU ................................................ p. 14 7.0 Findings ..........................................................................................................................p.10-19 8.0 Discussion ......................................................................................................................p. 19- 22 9.0 Conclusion and Recommendations .............................................................................. p. 22-23 10.0 References ..............................................................................................................p. 19-21 2.0 Introduction The writer of this review works as a nurse in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) situated within a large teaching hospital. The hospital is one of

The 21st Century Lifestyle in G20 Countries is Bad for Your Health Article - 1

The 21st Century Lifestyle in G20 Countries is Bad for Your Health - Article Example stress upon maternal health and also include eradication of severe poverty and hunger, universal primary education (helps in creating awareness through the basis lessons regarding health), Combat HIV, Malaria and other ailments, ensure a sustainable ambience and building global alliances or partnerships for overall development. Emerging economies of the world like China, India, Brazil and South Africa still depend on assistance from foreign developed nations in order to meet the health needs of its people. The major health concern for the G-20 countries in meeting the Millennium Development Goals is to combat infectious diseases like AIDS and malaria (Robertson, 2010). Leaving aside Brazil, all other G-20 countries have significantly failed in curbing the spread of AIDS. Moreover apart from the spread of AIDS, chronic diseases like diabetes, and fatal diseases like cardiac ailments and cancer are also increasingly affecting the people in the emerging economies (Garrett & Alavian, 201 0). Obesity is spreading fast as a symptom of health crisis. It is a significant problem for mostly the developed nations but the developing countries are also catching up. Three of the G20 nations have an obesity rate above 30 percent. These are United States with 46.5 percent of its population suffering form obesity, Argentina with 37.6 percent and Mexico with 35.5 percent. Across the world above one billion adult population are overweight and the obesity rates have risen three fold or beyond in regions of North America, East Europe and the Middle East mainly due to lack of proper nutrients and reduced level of physical activities. Seven amongst the G20 nations have obesity rates above 25 percent. These include Saudi Arabia (29.7 %), â€Å"Australia (28.8 %), Canada (25.6%) and the United Kingdom (25%)† (The Globalist, 2010) Obesity poses great risk for chronic diseases like type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes, hypertension and sometimes, even cancer. Countries l ike