AHRQ Safety Program for Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Hospital ___________ Unit___________ Month ___________
Please record the following occurrences for all patients in your unit within the selected month.
________ Total number of patients on mechanical ventilation
________ Total number of episodes of mechanical ventilation
________ Total number of ventilator days
________ Total number of hospital days
________ Total number of deaths
Objective Outcomes Data Measures
This information typically is collected on a monthly basis for patients receiving mechanical ventilation within the unit.
| Parameter | Question | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of patients on mechanical ventilation | How many patients are on mechanical ventilation in the unit during this month? | This is a count. Each patient on mechanical ventilation in this unit during the month will be counted only once each month. |
| Total number of episodes of mechanical ventilation | How many episodes of mechanical ventilation have occurred in the unit during this month? | This is a count. Each episode of mechanical ventilation in this unit during the month will be counted once. A patient may have more than one episode of mechanical ventilation per month and would be counted each time he/she is extubated for at least one calendar day and reintubated. |
| Total number of ventilator days | What is the total number of days that patients have been on mechanical ventilation in the unit this month? | This is an aggregate number. It is determined by adding up the number of days each patient in the specified unit has been on mechanical ventilation the month. |
| Total number of hospital days | What is the total number of days from hospital admission to hospital discharge for the patients on mechanical ventilation who have been in the specific unit and who have been discharged from the hospital during the month? | This is an aggregate number. It is determined by identifying the mechanically ventilated patients who have been discharged from the unit and adding the number of days those patients are in the hospital from admission to discharge. As these data are collected and reported on a monthly basis, they would be applied to only the patients discharged from the hospital during the month. |
| Total number of deaths | How many deaths have occurred in the patients who have been or were mechanically ventilated during the month who were housed at one point or another in the unit during their current admission? | This is a count. Identify the mechanically ventilated patients and determine the number of patients who have died during that specific month. Include all causes of mortality for these patients. A death is counted whether or not the patient was housed in the unit at the time of death. As these data are collected and reported on a monthly basis, they would be applied to the patients who died during the month. |
