Nursing Activities Score in critically ill patients on invasive mechanical ventilation.

OBJECTIVE

to assess the association between invasive mechanical ventilation duration, classified as prolonged and non-prolonged, and nursing workload in critically ill patients.

METHOD: a prospective cohort study with adult patients on mechanical ventilation for up to 21 days or more. Nursing workload was measured using the Nursing Activities Score (NAS). Clinical data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A significance level of 5% was adopted.

RESULTS

considering 61 patients, there was no significant difference in nursing workload between prolonged and non-prolonged mechanical ventilation according to NAS [111.2 (105.118) vs. 111.8 (107.119); p=0.880], nor was there an association between mechanical ventilation time and this score (AUC=0.512). Prolonged mechanical ventilation was associated with vasoactive drugs (96%; p=0.007) and greater severity of acute kidney injury (KDIGO=3.78%; p=0.009).

CONCLUSION

mechanical ventilation duration was not associated with changes in nursing workload, which remained high regardless of the ventilatory support duration.