The Common Complication Following Surgical Procedures

Surgical site infections (SSI) occur in 2 – 5% of ‘clean’ non-abdominal surgical procedures (Rothrock, 2007). Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common cause for SSI in Orthopaedic surgery (NICE, 2008). Guidelines were produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to try and reduce this infection rate and include a preoperative phase, (including hair removal and antibiotic prophylaxis), an intra-operative phase and postoperative phase.

In recent years, surgical site infections are verified as one of the most errors that are common in the healthcare; however, they are also preventable. These research papers will synthesis information about surgical infections, patient experience, hospital-acquired conditions and achievement of expected treatment for specific clinical diagnoses. A surgical site infection is an infected condition in the body after surgery has occurred. Surgical site infections are caused by germs, called bacteria. Different types of bacteria from the environment may cause a delay in healing. The infection may come from surgical tools or bacteria on the skin if it is not clean correctly. Healthcare professionals use certain guidelines and

5. Poulin,P., et al.(2014) Preoperative Skin Antiseptics for preventing surgical site infections: What to do?

Conduct a literature search to locate research articles focused on a practice problem of interest. This literature search should include both quantitative and qualitative peer research articles to support your practice problem or issue of interest in 350-750 words.

According to the Hospital National Patient Safety Goals, Goal 7 is to reduce the risk of health-care associated infections. NPSG.07.0.01 deals with surgical-site infections. The question to be asked is, “Why are surgical site infections a problem?” The prevention of surgical site infections can occur before and during surgery, with certain actions of the nurse, and when the patient is healthy. One way surgical site infections can occur is during surgery, or intra-operation. Sources of bacteria, exogenously, include the airborne route as a significant source of infection. Endogenously, infections can occur from the normal flora of a patient (Edmiston & Spencer, 2014a). Surgical site infections are a problem intra-operatively because of operating room temperatures not being controlled, misuse of sterile procedure, and improper hand hygiene. Operating room temperatures should be kept between 68 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 24 degrees Celsius. There also needs to be positive

Keeping our hands clean is one of the most effcient and important steps we can do as humans to avoid getting sick or spreading germs to other people. Unwashed hands spread many diseases such as the flue, E. coli, and salmonella. Unfortunately, hand hygiene is still one of today’s most leading causes of infection in health care facilities. The risk of clinicians, patients, and visitors not complying with hand hygiene protocols creates a practice problem for nurses and their patient care. The cause of health care infections, also known as, health care-associated infections (HAIs) are increasing along with the rise of the inability to control or treat infections that are multi-drug resistant. Lack of proper hand hygiene is a major problem in clinical settings sourcing from critical care divisions where the most contaminations are prevalent. This paper will discuss how hand hygiene affects the nursing process and solutions of how to better prevent HAIs within the nursing scope of practice.

Nurses play a pivotal role in preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAI), not only by ensuring that all aspects of their nursing practice is evidence based, but also through nursing research and patient education.Hand hygiene is widely acknowledged to be the single most important activity for reducing the spread of disease.Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect both yourself and your patient from the risks of cross-infection.Gloves should be worn whenever there might be

This essay will examine and compare the different methods of hand washing in the perioperative environment and how hand washing influences the prevention of healthcare acquired infections (HCAIs). It will show the importance of washing hands thoroughly to remove bacteria to prevent HCAIs. It will include the differences between the surgical hand wash, the social hand wash and the use of alcohol rubs.

The priority nursing diagnosis of hospital acquired infection is risk for any kind of infection. One of the main goals for each patient in the hospital is the patient will remain free of infection as evidence by absence of heat, pain, redness, or swelling in any area of the patient’s body during each nurse’s shift. (care plan book). Frequently hand washing is the best intervention for preventing infection. Hand washing reduces the risk of transmission of pathogens by inhibiting the growth of or killing the microorganisms. (cb)Proper sterile technique during urinary

Surgical site infections plague patients all over the world on a daily basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that drug-resistant bacteria cause two million illnesses and about 23,000 deaths each year in the United States alone” (Frieden, 2013).

Wound care nurses play a special role in the hospital environment, and hospitals without those specialized nurses may not be able to offer the level of care as hospitals that have these specialized professionals. "Wound care nurses, sometimes referred to as wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurses, specialize in wound management, the monitoring and treatment of wounds due to injury, disease or medical treatments. Their work promotes the safe and rapid healing of a wide variety of wounds, from chronic bed sores or ulcers to abscesses, feeding tube sites and recent surgical openings" (Nursing Schools, 2012). While it may seem as if any nurse should be qualified to perform these functions, it is critical to realize that it is a specialized field. "Their main objectives are to assess the wounds, develop a treatment plan, clean wounds and monitor for signs of

Research shows that Surgical site infections are preventable. According to the CDC, hand hygiene is the simplest approach to preventing the spread of infections and needs to be incorporated into the culture of the organization. Ensuring the use of infection control prevention is an important component of nursing care. Infection control prevention policies must be communicated undoubtedly to all employees. Staffers who do not comply must be re-educated to ensure that all are complying. Speaking up and pointing out that a nurse forgot to wash his or her hands, or notifying the surgical team that surgical instruments were not adequately cleaned may seem like small issues; but at the same time, not acknowledging a break in a sterile technique could mean the difference between life and death for a patient. One hospital that was struggling with high levels of infection related to surgical procedures, implemented a pre-procedure huddle as a team. This innovate way decreased the spread of infection and was a great way to improve the quality of care for patients. As mandated by the Joint commission, infection prevention personnel should provide multidisciplinary education on SSI prevention, to all team members, including

Measure of this concept is based on the stages of wound healing and the Centers of Disease Control

* Hand washing is the most important method of preventing the spread of infection by contact (Ayliffe et al 1999). The Nottingham University Trust Policy on Hand Hygiene (2009) states that there are three types of hand hygiene, the first is ‘routine hand hygiene’ which involves the use of soap and water for 15 – 20 seconds or the application of alcohol hand rub until the hand are dry. The second is ‘hand disinfection’ which should be used prior to an aseptic procedure by washing with soap and water and applying alcohol hand rub afterwards. The third is ‘surgical hand washing’ which is the application of a microbial agent to the hands and wrists for two minutes. In addition to which a sterile, disposable brush may be used for the first surgical hand wash of the day although continued use will encourage colonisation of microbes. The third example is the most appropriate to any O.D.P undertaking the surgical role as it is the best way for the surgical team to eliminate transient flora and reduce resident skin flora (World Health Organization 2010). The first and second are important to any O.D.P undertaking any other role within the Operating Department as this is the best way to reduce the transient microbial flora without necessarily affecting the resident skin flora

Postoperative surgical site infections according to Nichol (2001) remain a major source of illness in surgical patients. Beaver, (2008) point out that surgical infection is one of the side effects that occur after a patient has gone for surgery.