The barriers to the prevention of ventilator‐associated pneumonia from the perspective of critical care nurses: A qualitative descriptive study

Aims and objectives The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of Iranian critical care nurses on the barriers to ventilator‐associated pneumonia prevention in intensive care units. Background Most patients hospitalized in intensive care units need mechanical ventilation. One of the most prevalent and serious complications of mechanical ventilation is ventilator‐associated pneumonia. There are different barriers to the prevention of this kind of pneumonia. Design Qualitative descriptive design was used. Methods In this qualitative study, 23 critical care nurses were recruited via purposive sampling. Semi‐structured interviews were done for data collection. The interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed word by word, and analyzed using the inductive content analysis approach. Results The barriers to the prevention of ventilator‐associated pneumonia fell into three main categories, namely nurses’ limited professional competence, unfavorable environmental conditions, and passive human resource management. The 10 subcategories of these main categories were unfavorable professional attitude, limited professional knowledge, low job motivation, limited professional accountability, non‐standard physical structure, inadequate or inappropriate equipment, heavy workload, staff shortage, inadequate staff training, and ineffective supervision. Conclusion The barriers to the prevention of ventilator‐associated pneumonia in intensive care units are very diverse and complex and include a wide range of interrelated personal, environmental, and organizational barriers. Relevance to clinical practice This study created a better understanding of the barriers to ventilator‐associated pneumonia prevention. Moreover, highlighted the importance of sufficient resources, adequate staffing level, and contextually‐appropriate evidence‐based guidelines for effective ventilator‐associated pneumonia prevention.