CVICU/CVRU

Hi All-

I am new to the forum, and I was hoping to get some input around your facilities' best practices with HOB and/or ambulation after cardiac surgery. We have recently noticed an increase in our VAP rate, especially in the more complicated valve replacement patients. What is your practice in regards to increasing the HOB when patients are on pressors, IABP, etc? We are already utilizing the vent bundles, etc., but just reaching out to see if there is anything else that we are missing, or are we just operating on really sick people!?

Thanks for your help!