Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit

The aim of the study was to promote the practice of subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) in a UK critical care unit. SSD is a technique employed to reduce microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions in patients with cuffed endotracheal airways. Aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions is the accepted c...

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Main Authors: Nicholas Weston Smith, Michael Spivey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-05-01
Series:BMJ Open Quality
Online Access:https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/10/2/e001269.full
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author Nicholas Weston Smith
Michael Spivey
author_facet Nicholas Weston Smith
Michael Spivey
author_sort Nicholas Weston Smith
collection DOAJ
description The aim of the study was to promote the practice of subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) in a UK critical care unit. SSD is a technique employed to reduce microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions in patients with cuffed endotracheal airways. Aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions is the accepted cause of the majority of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a complication of invasive ventilation with high associated mortality. The plan–do–study–act methodology was employed. The local critical care patient database was searched for patients requiring mechanical ventilation via a tracheostomy tube with subglottic port in the 3 months prior to intervention. Patient records were interrogated for evidence of the practice of SSD. The intervention involved the introduction of a tracheostomy care bundle to be prescribed on insertion of a tracheostomy on the critical care unit, in combination with departmental teaching. The bundle included prompts for nursing staff to practise regular SSD and to complete a tracheostomy care plan at the end of shift. A total of 24 patients were included. A review of practice was conducted every 3 months for 1 year. This showed an improvement in documented evidence of SSD from 0% of days at baseline to 85.7% of days at 1 year. Implementation of a tracheostomy order set prescribing regular SSD resulted in an improvement in the practice of SSD in patients ventilated via tracheostomy. This has implications for patient outcomes and healthcare costs, given that SSD has been shown to reduce incidence of VAP.
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spelling doaj-art-b44a2e95281d454eb8e021ecdb652a172025-08-20T02:10:50ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Quality2399-66412021-05-0110210.1136/bmjoq-2020-001269Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unitNicholas Weston Smith0Michael Spivey1Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Truro, UKDepartment of Critical Care, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Truro, UKThe aim of the study was to promote the practice of subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) in a UK critical care unit. SSD is a technique employed to reduce microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions in patients with cuffed endotracheal airways. Aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions is the accepted cause of the majority of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a complication of invasive ventilation with high associated mortality. The plan–do–study–act methodology was employed. The local critical care patient database was searched for patients requiring mechanical ventilation via a tracheostomy tube with subglottic port in the 3 months prior to intervention. Patient records were interrogated for evidence of the practice of SSD. The intervention involved the introduction of a tracheostomy care bundle to be prescribed on insertion of a tracheostomy on the critical care unit, in combination with departmental teaching. The bundle included prompts for nursing staff to practise regular SSD and to complete a tracheostomy care plan at the end of shift. A total of 24 patients were included. A review of practice was conducted every 3 months for 1 year. This showed an improvement in documented evidence of SSD from 0% of days at baseline to 85.7% of days at 1 year. Implementation of a tracheostomy order set prescribing regular SSD resulted in an improvement in the practice of SSD in patients ventilated via tracheostomy. This has implications for patient outcomes and healthcare costs, given that SSD has been shown to reduce incidence of VAP.https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/10/2/e001269.full
spellingShingle Nicholas Weston Smith
Michael Spivey
Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit
BMJ Open Quality
title Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit
title_full Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit
title_fullStr Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit
title_full_unstemmed Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit
title_short Promoting subglottic secretion drainage: a quality improvement project in a UK critical care unit
title_sort promoting subglottic secretion drainage a quality improvement project in a uk critical care unit
url https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/10/2/e001269.full
work_keys_str_mv AT nicholaswestonsmith promotingsubglotticsecretiondrainageaqualityimprovementprojectinaukcriticalcareunit
AT michaelspivey promotingsubglotticsecretiondrainageaqualityimprovementprojectinaukcriticalcareunit