To explore the application effect of cluster intervention strategy in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in ICU patients with mechanical ventilation at high altitude, and to provide basis for VAP prevention strategy at high altitude.

418 patients with mechanical ventilation in ICU of Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital from April to December 2017 were selected as the control group, and 437 patients with cluster intervention strategy from February to October 2018 were selected as the observation group. The duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, incidence of VAP, incidence of aspiration, monitoring of air bag pressure, and hand hygiene compliance of medical staff in the two groups were compared.

The mechanical ventilation time and ICU hospitalization time in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant [mechanical ventilation time: (5.94 ± 4.17) d vs (9.72 ± 5.66) d, t = 11.14, P < 0.001; ICU hospitalization time: (9.63 ± 6.41) d vs (14.48 ± 8.3) d, t = 9.55, P < 0.001]; the incidence of VAP in the observation group was less than that in the control group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (3.4% vs 8.1%, χ² = 9.39, P = 0.002); the incidence of aspiration in the observation group was significantly less than that in the control group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (0.7% vs 2.2%, χ² = 4.82, P = 0.030); the qualified rate of artificial airway balloon pressure management in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (96.4% vs 61.7%, χ² = 2.50, P < 0.001); the hand hygiene compliance was higher than that in the control group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (79.0% vs 48.5%, χ² = 4.76, P < 0.001).

Cluster intervention strategy can effectively reduce mechanical ventilation time, ICU hospitalization time, the incidence of VAP and aspiration in plateau area, improve the qualified rate of artificial airway balloon management and hand hygiene compliance of medical staff, which is worthy of clinical application.