Ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention by education and two combined bedside strategies.

Objective: The objective of the study was to reduce the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) incidence rates through a rational prevention program.

Design: The study was a non-controlled clinical trial with a set of interventions in mechanically ventilated patients from April 2006 until June 2008. Pneumonia rates were analyzed as time series and their mean risks of development were compared before and after the interventions with a non-concurrent cohort using the same time frame (January 2004-March 2006).