Objectives:

To identify the main procedures and interventions related to nursing staff and their association with the emergence of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Method:

Descriptive research, bibliographic review of scientific articles conducted between 2018-2022, consulted in electronic databases using DeCS terms. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select relevant studies.

Results:

High incidence of pneumonia related to ventilation time, intubation technique, secretion aspiration, patient mobilization and endotracheal tube diameter was identified. Services with continuously trained nurses exhibit lower incidence of complications. Chlorhexidine positively influenced the decrease in endotracheal tube colonization.

Conclusions:

Specialized nursing interventions, continuous training and greater autonomy in decision-making significantly reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia rates, improving critical patient safety.