Considerations in nursing regarding nebulized antibiotics in adults with ventilator-associated pneumonia

Introduction: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common hospital-acquired respiratory infection, making it a significant health problem due to its associated increase in morbidity and mortality, higher medical financial burden, and a substantial impact on public health and the economy. Amongst the benefits of administering nebulized antibiotics for respiratory tract infections, one of the highlights is the ability to deliver effective concentrations of such drugs directly to the site of infection while minimizing systemic adverse effects. Objective: To identify nursing considerations regarding the use of nebulized antibiotics in adults with invasive ventilator-associated pneumonia through a literature review. Methodology: A literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Epistemonikos, and Trip. The search strategy included the MESH terms ventilator-associated pneumonia, nosocomial pneumonia, nebulized antibiotics, and inhaled antibiotics, combined with boolean operators. The PRISMA guidelines were employed for classification and screening. Results: The research showed favorable results from the use of nebulized antibiotics. However, there is a disparity between the large amount of experimental evidence supporting the administration of nebulized antibiotics and the scarcity of clinical studies confirming the efficacy and safety of these drugs and, more importantly, the lack of scientific material published by nursing staff regarding the nursing care to be taken into account.