Intensive care unit registered nurses’ perceived barriers towards ventilated associated pneumonia prevention in southeast Iran: a cross-sectional descriptive – an analytical study

OBJECTIVES: Ventilated associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common nosocomial infection and complication occurring in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. This study aimed to assess the ICU registered nurses’ perceived barriers towards VAP prevention in southeast Iran. SETTING: This was a cross-sectional descriptive–an analytical study to examine the registered nurses’ perceived barriers towards VAP prevention in southeast Iran. PARTICIPANTS: The study population consisted of 242 nurses working in ICU and emergency departments. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The data was collected using demographic characteristics’ questionnaire and a researcher-made ventilator-associated pneumonia barriers prevention questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean score of nurses’ perceived barriers towards VAP prevention was 2.82±0.46. The highest mean score of perceived barriers were related to items of ‘lack of staff’, ‘lack of a team-based approach to care and interventions’, and ‘lack of support from management’. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates most of the barriers are related to organisational factors and lack of teamwork. Further studies are needed to obtain more accurate results. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Kerman University of Medical Sciences (IR.KMU.REC.1395.908).