The Effect of Oral Suctioning before Position Change on Incidence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Patients undergoing Mechanical Ventilation in Intensive Care unit at Imam Reza Hospital in 2012

Nosocomial infections are a major health issue in health care system, where pneumonia is the most common infection in the intensive care unit. This study aims to assess the effect of oral suctioning before position change on incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit at Imam Reza Hospital in 2012.
In a clinical trial with control group, 60 patients with less than 6 hours of intubationwere randomly divided into intervention and control groups 48 hours after mechanical ventilation. In the intervention group, oral secretions were suctioned before position change, and in the control group, suctioning was performed as required. After 72 hours, patients were assessed for incidence of pneumonia. Data were analyzed in SPSS-16 using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.
According to the results, incidence of pneumonia was 10% in the intervention group and 33.33% in the control group, with a significant difference between the two (P=0.029).
Performing suction before position change can reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia. Thus, this technique is recommended to prevent pneumonia.