Improving adherence to a mechanical ventilation weaning protocol for critically ill adults: outcomes after an...

Despite multiple reminders, education sessions, and multidisciplinary team involvement, adherence to an evidence-based mechanical ventilation weaning protocol had been less than 1% in a general systems intensive care unit since implementation.

To assess the effectiveness of using an implementation program, the Model for Accelerating Improvement, to improve adherence and clinical outcomes after restarting a mechanical ventilation weaning protocol in an adult general systems intensive care unit.

A prospective comparative design, before and after implementation of the Model for Accelerating Improvement, was used with a consecutive sample of 129 patients and 112 multidisciplinary team members. Clinical outcomes were rate of unsuccessful extubations, rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and duration of mechanical ventilation; practice outcomes were staff's understanding of the mechanical ventilation weaning protocol, perceptions of the practice safety climate, and adherence to the weaning protocol.

After the intervention, the rate of unsuccessful extubations decreased, and staff's understanding of and adherence to the weaning protocol increased significantly. The rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia, duration of mechanical ventilation, and staff's perceptions of the practice safety climate did not change significantly.

Implementing the Model for Accelerating Improvement improved understanding of and adherence to protocol-directed weaning and reduced the rate of unsuccessful extubations.