Hospital acquired infections such as ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) are associated with unacceptably high mortality rates and spiraling healthcare costs. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major human pathogen, and one of the leading causes of VAP and other nosocomial infections. Vital to the effective management and treatment of S. aureus VAP is the use of appropriate antimicrobial therapies, and ideally prophylactic measures to prevent the onset disease and reduce hospital costs. Often patients either suffering from VAP or seen as at risk of developing VAP are treated empirically with antibiotics until the causative pathogen is identified, and only then is treatment switched to appropriate antibiotics. Antibiotic stewardship efforts aim to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance are slowly leading to changing clinical guidelines, meaning that the causative pathogen is identified before appropriate antibiotic treatment is initiated. Such approaches rely on diagnostic measures to identify the infecting bacteria and resistance pattern, and usually take up to 36 hours to complete. Therefore, early identification of patients at risk of developing VAP coupled with characterization of the causative pathogen would allow early treatment and potential prevention, ultimately translating to reduced mortality and healthcare cost.