Ventilator-associated pneumonia: discourse of professionals about prevention Pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica: discursos de profissionais acerca da prevenção Neumonía asociada a la ventilación: el discurso de los profesionales sobre la prevención

Objective: This study aimed to identify the care that nurses and physiotherapists know and consider important for Prevention of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP) in an intensive care unit. Methods: This is a descriptive research with qualitative nature. Semi structured interview was carried out from May to September 2011, with 25 professionals in a public hospital of Santa Catarina. For the treatment of data we used the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD). Results: The reports led to four discourses related to prevention of VAP which had as central ideas: oral and hands hygiene; prevention of the pulmonary aspiration; cares with the aspiration of secretions and ventilator circuit and daily assessment of the possibility of extubation. Conclusion: CSD analysis suggests that professionals have a good theoretical knowledge about preventive actions for VAP, however, reveals the challenge to implement some care in routine assistance.