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INTRODUCTION
One of the main goals of nursing is to provide evidence-based assistance in order to promote quality results for patients, families and the healthcare system. A procedure that deserves particular attention, given its direct relationship with the risk of infection, is the endotracheal aspiration (ETA) of intubated patients(1).
The ETA is an essential component in airway management in patients on mechanical ventilation, being one of the most frequently performed invasive procedures in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Its main goal is to remove accumulated lung secretions in order to maintain the airway's permeability; provide adequate oxygenation; reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and prevent pulmonary consolidation and atelectasis(2).
The procedure, however, is not free of risks and complications. Comorbidities such as cardiac and/or respiratory failure, hemodynamic instability, tracheobronchial injury and hypoxemia may be a result of the procedure, especially when performed incorrectly(3). Therefore, it is imperative that this procedure is performed with professional competence, which means not only having the necessary skills, but also knowledge based on updated scientific evidence, guaranteeing efficiency and the safety of the patient(4).
However, research has shown that nursing practitioners do not have sufficient knowledge of the current recommendations for ETA and, according to empirical evidence, the practice is often based on rituals and traditions(4.5). Therefore, the question is: What is the knowledge of intensive care nursing professionals about the ETA procedure for open system in the light of the evidence? To answer this question we proposed this study, which aims to assess the knowledge of ICU nursing professionals relating to ETA for open systems.
The justification for this study represents a diagnostic step of paramount importance. We propose to investigate and critically evaluate the knowledge of professionals and identify the skills and difficulties involved, and, based on this data, develop operational measures that contribute to improvement in the quality of the services provided.
METHOD
This is an exploratory, descriptive study, whose data collection was conducted in July 2011 in two ICUs (general and cardiac). These ICUs provide care for adult patients at a large university hospital in Mato Grosso do Sul. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Human Research of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul under the protocol No. 1949/2011.
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