Journal of Advanced Intensive and Critical Care Medicine

Abstract

Background

Mechanical ventilation as an oxygenation and ventilation support in patients who cannot have natural respiration due to any reason has been saving patients lives, Prolonged mechanical ventilation increases the risk of pneumonia, barotrauma, tracheal injuries, and musculoskeletal deconditioning. At the same time, delayed weaning is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, hospital stay, and risk of long-term care facility discharge.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in public hospitals in Sana'a City Yemen, the study population consisted of all Respiratory Therapists & ICU Physicians (131) who worked in the intensive care unit (ICU) during the study period according to shift duty, the conveniences sampling technique was applied, the final sample size was administered questionnaire was used to collect the data, statistical package for social sciences SPSS was used to data analysis. A pilot study was conducted and the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were also tested.

Results

About Two-third (67.9%) of participants were male, and (56.5%) of them were married, with belonged age group between (26-and 30) years old (43.5%). More than half (59.5%) of them had diploma degrees, while (62.6%) of them have years of experience from (1 –5) years. Most (63.4 %) of the participants have specialty respiratory therapists, while (36.6%) of them were ICU physicians. More than three quarters (78.6%) of participants had courses training in MV, while only (21.4%) of them didn't have courses training in MV, The Majority (89.3%) of participants had training courses about weaning criteria from MV, while only (10.7%) of them were didn’t have training courses about weaning criteria from MV. More than half (58.0%) of participants had adequate practice regarding weaning from mechanical ventilation, while (42.0%) of them had inadequate practice regarding weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions

We conclude that significant difference association between the level of practice weaning from mechanical ventilation and the demographic characteristics of participants regarding training courses in mechanical ventilation at (p-value=0.018), we recommended respiratory therapists and ICU physicians should increase their level of practice regarding respiratory care and gaining more general skills in mechanical ventilation specifically in the weaning criteria through continuous practical training according to evidence-based practice and reading different books and resources.