ภาวะปอดอักเสบในผู้ป่วยโรคหลอดเลือดสมอง: บทบาทพยาบาลในการป้องกัน

Stroke‑Associated Pneumonia: Role of Nurses in Its Prevention

Abstract

Stroke‑associated pneumonia is a frequent complication among stroke patients and adversely affects health conditions, rehabilitation, healthcare cost and length of stay. Since the stroke‑associated pneumonia rate serves as a quality-of-care indicator, this type of pneumonia is a preventable complication. Nurses play a central role in providing care management for stroke patients recovering from the acute to the recovery stages. Thus, nurses should have an adequate knowledge and understanding of stroke‑associated pneumonia prevention in providing effective nursing care.

The purpose of this article is to enhance the current state of knowledge and understanding pertaining to the roles of nurses in stroke‑associated pneumonia prevention. From the early stages of hospitalization to their continuation of care, their work consists of these four elements: 1) evaluating the risk of aspiration and stroke-associated pneumonia, 2) dysphagia screening test and swallowing assessments, 3) nursing care for stroke‑associated pneumonia prevention and 4) preparation of the stroke caregivers for their work in preventive care against pneumonia from hospital to home. This paper thus serves as a guide for nurses or health-care providers which they can apply to individual care in suitable situations in order to improve the existing quality of care for stroke patients.