Ventilator – associated pneumonia in intensive care units And physician - nurse relationship role

Introduction: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is one of important factors of morbidity and mortality in critical care units, associated with hospitalization day’s and increased cost of treatment. Thus prevention through identifying related factors must be highly recommended Objective: This study is conducted by the aim of determining the nurses understanding of physician-nurse relationship with Ventilator – associated pneumonia reports in critical care units of Guilan University of Medical Sciences Methods: This cross-sectional –analytic study conducted by selecting 101 nurses from 7 critical care units of Guilan province with determined characters by census method. Data were gathered by a 3-part tool consisting demographic data and ventilator associated pneumonia recording data for 3 months before sampling and standard Practice Environment Scale of the Nurses Work Index (physician-nurse relationship)   by interview. Mean of reported pneumonia frequency classified in 3 groups of none, 1-5 cases and more than 5 cases. Mean of physician-nurse relationship classified in 2 groups of desirable and undesirable. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytic tests (chi-square). Results:The findings showed that majority of samples (62/7%) 1-5 were related to ventilator associated pneumonia. This variable had significant relation with years of employments in samples (p=0.004). Mean score of 72.5 percent of samples in physician-nurse relationship was in favorable level with no significant relationship with personal variables exept the nurses` employment status (p=0.035). Finally, χ2 statistical test showed significant relationship between favorable perceived physician – nurse communication and lower Ventilator-associated pneumonia (p=0.01). Conclusion: Significant relation between ventilator associated pneumonia and physician-nurse communication in this survey indicated that possibility of prevention of pneumonia by improving nurse-physicians relationship and collaboration quality