Key Points
➤ Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is the most common nosocomial
infection.
➤ Patients on mechanical ventilation are at risk for multiple serious
complications.
➤ CDC's ventilator-associated events (VAE) framework is designed to detect
the breadth of these events when severe enough to lead to sustained
increases in ventilator settings.
➤ Despite reports of dramatic decreases in ventilator-associated pneumonia
(VAP) rates over the past two decades, 5–10% of ventilated patients
continue to be treated for VAP and/or VAE.
➤ This pocket guide highlights practical recommendations to assist acute
care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing efforts to prevent VAP,
VAE, and non-ventilator hospital acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) in adults,
children, and neonates.
➤ It is based on a synthesis of evidence, theoretical rationale, current
practices, practical considerations, author consensus, and consideration
of potential harm, where applicable.
➤ No guideline or expert guidance document can anticipate all clinical
situations. This pocket guide is not meant to be a substitute for individual
clinical judgment by qualified professionals.
