Effect of Implementing Evidence-based Practice and Nurse's Behavior Change on Quality of Care in Intensive Care Unit: Focus on Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in a Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh

Quality of care is crucial for preventing adverse events such as infection in the intensive care units (ICUs). The most common ICU-acquired infections include pneumonia such as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), Central Line Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract in, Medical Device Related Pressure Ulcer (MDRPU) and Pressure Ulcer (PU). This study explores the patient outcome in ICU by examining the causes and prevalence of ICU-acquired infection. The implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) to reduce infection and change the nurses practice (behavioral changes) to adhere with EBP based on simulation-based training.

General objective:

To evaluate the effect of EBP by using recent technologies-based equipment to prevent VAP and promote behavior change among nurses for better outcome of the patient in ICU.

Specific Objectives:

1. To determine the incidence of adverse events (VAP rate, MDRPU rate, PU rate, CLABSI rate), length of stay and survival rate in ICU.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of EBP education by changing nurses' behavior and determine its impact on improving patient outcomes in the ICU.
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of EBP including proper equipment use and changed nurses behavior acquired through the training for better patient outcome (VAP ratio) in the ICU.
4. To examine the feasibility of evaluation process and outcomes and successful implementation of EBP in ICU.

Hypothesis:

It is hypothesize that implementing EBP in ICU, including new equipment use and nurses training, will improve patient outcome.

These research consist of three studies:

Phase 1: Incidence of adverse events (VAP rate, MDRPU rate, PU rate, CLABSI rate), length of stay and survival rate in ICU. The patients of General ICU will be followed up after admission up to discharge or death at ICU. The investigators use the study findings for our subsequent intervention study 3 as historical data.

Phase 2: A pre- and post- quasi-experimental study will be conducted for 6 months to evaluate the nurse's competency on EBP after getting 1-month EBP training. This study has 3 steps: (1) Pre-observation period to measure nurse's competency level for 2-month, (2) nurse's EBP training period with preparation for 1 month, and (3) post-implementation period to measure nurse's competency and implementation of EBP practice for 2 months. Study nurses will receive EBP training, EBP and proper equipment for patient management. The nurses will receive EBP education and training with necessary equipment, such as a close suction catheter, an endotracheal tube, a suction device, and a mouth care brush. In this study, use global standard equipment for the patients safety.

Phase 3: A pre- and post- quasi-experimental study will be implemented to evaluate the efficacy of EBP implementation. The investigators use new equipment and implement EBP for patients and assess the patient outcomes. The investigators compare the findings from study 1 (as historical data) with the data from this study 3.

The investigators will compare the VAP infection prevalence and patients' outcomes related to ICU-acquired infection between pre- and post- test phase.