For Immediate Release

September 22, 2006

Mercy Memorial Stops a Killer in its Tracks

Ardmore — Ventilator-associated pneumonia – VAP – is a leading killer among all hospital-acquired infections, causing an estimated 26,000 deaths nationwide each year. But at Mercy Memorial Health Center, VAP has been zapped, thanks to some new protocols now in place.

VAP is a life-threatening infection of the lungs that can develop in intensive care patients dependent on mechanical ventilators to help them breathe. Beginning last year, Mercy Memorial initiated a series of steps to reduce VAP, such as raising the head of the bed to an angle of 30 to 45 degrees and weaning patients off ventilators as quickly as possible.

“Within the first three months of making these changes, we were seeing a significant reduction in VAP and now, more than a year later, we are maintaining at zero-level for VAP at Mercy Memorial,” said Melinda Laird, Mercy Memorial’s chief nursing officer. “We are very committed to do whatever possible to reduce infections. We want ventilator-associated pneumonias to be a thing of the past.”

In April 2005, Mercy Memorial initiated the ventilator bundle – proven steps to reduce the incidence of VAP – as recommended by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in its 100,000 lives campaign. The IHI recommendation only enhanced the initiative already underway at Mercy Memorial.

New hospital beds at Mercy Memorial also contributed to the effort with two key features: 1) Elevation of the head of the bed is measured in exact degree measurements. Before the new beds, nurses had to “eyeball” the elevation and estimate the 30 degree angle. 2) The beds provide rotation and percussion similar to a massage chair, motivating the lungs to expel secretions. 3) The automatic feature of the bed gives nurses more time to focus on other components of critical care.

“Mercy Memorial is committed to keeping patients safe, and that includes working to eliminate any kind of hospital-acquired infections,” said Laird.

Mercy Memorial has been recognized by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system for maintaining an extraordinary low rate of hospital-associated infections.

Mercy Memorial Health Center is a member of Mercy Health System of Oklahoma and the Sisters of Mercy Health System.