VAP
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Ventilator-associated pneumonia |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Medical, Education & Academia |
VAP has two meanings. It stands for Ventilator-associated pneumonia (hospital) or Visiting assistant professor (academic).
Meanings of VAP at a glance
| # | VAP stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ventilator-associated pneumonia | Medical › Hospital |
| 2 | Visiting assistant professor | Education & Academia › Academic |
1. Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Medical · Hospital Abbreviations
Pneumonia that develops 48 hours or more after a patient is placed on mechanical ventilation. It increases ICU stay, cost and mortality.
Example: VAP bundle: HOB 30 degrees, daily sedation vacation, oral care, subglottic suction.
The CDC replaced VAP surveillance in 2013 with a broader ventilator-associated event (VAE) definition because VAP was hard to define objectively. Prevention bundles focus on head elevation, minimizing sedation and early extubation. Some ICUs use endotracheal tubes with subglottic secretion drainage.
2. Visiting assistant professor
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Temporary full-time faculty appointment, usually one to three years, often held by new PhDs before landing a tenure-track job or by schools covering sabbaticals and vacancies. VAPs typically teach a full course load and may be eligible to apply for permanent openings.
Example: After two years as a VAP at a liberal arts college, he landed a tenure-track position in Ohio.
The "visiting" label does not imply the person is employed elsewhere; it signals a fixed-term contract. In law schools, VAP programs are formal fellowships that prepare aspiring legal academics for the teaching market. Similar fixed-term roles include postdoctoral teaching fellow and instructor.
Related abbreviations
More hospital abbreviations
- ADC – Average daily census
- ADON – Assistant director of nursing
- AIIR – Airborne infection isolation room
- ALC – Alternate level of care
- ALF – Assisted living facility
- ALOS – Average length of stay
- AMC – Academic medical center
- AOD – Administrator on duty
See all 89 hospital abbreviations →
More academic abbreviations
- AACSB – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- AAU – Association of American Universities
- ABD – All but dissertation
- ABET – ABET (formerly Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)
- ADT – Associate Degree for Transfer
- AO – Admissions officer
- AP – Associate professor
- APA – American Psychological Association style
See all 124 academic abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.