Verified Document

Surgical Site Infections Are A Research Paper

The facility should strive to bring the SSI rate down below the expected level for the types of patients and surgeries that the facility has. Plan of Action

In order to achieve better-than-average results in the SSI rates for our facility, there are a number of tactics that can be used. The first is that the culture of the organization needs to emphasize safety to a degree greater than the current degree. As of now, there is no particular focus on SSIs, and this contributes to a culture where there is little accountability with respect to the SSI rates, or to individual SSI cases. The organization must improve the accountability, so that staff members are specifically held accountable for the mistakes that they make that result in an SSI.

Beyond culture, there are specific things that the organization can do to promote an improved rate of SSI. The first is that the training program needs to be more extensive. The typical approach of the organization to this point is to generally assume that members of the staff are well-versed on basic SSI prevention procedures. While this might be true, the staff should be kept up-to-date on the most recent information on the subject. They should receive substantial training on the appropriate procedures. Such training can help reduce SSIs caused by procedural lapses.

One issue that contributes to the persistent high rates of SSI across the medical profession is the development of acquired microbial resistance. This occurs as the result of overuse of antibiotic prophylaxis. While antibiotics are a necessary part of managing potential SSIs, anything over 48 hours seems to contribute to acquired microbial resistance, while adding little benefit to the patient. Harbarth et al. (2000) prescribe under 48 hours of antibiotics to reduce acquired microbial resistance.

Mangram et al. (1999) also prescribe a number of tactics to reduce SSIs. These include tactics to reduce errors during transfusions, shaving the patient immediate prior to surgery, the use of preoperative antiseptic showering and specific skin preparation as well as cleanliness measures for the surgical personnel.

Conclusion

Surgical site infections are costly for hospitals, both in terms of patient outcomes and in terms of the bottom line....

While not all SSIs are preventable, most are. This means that the hospital often bears the cost of such errors, especially when the patient does not have the means to do so. It is imperative, therefore, that hospitals take steps to address the problem of SSIs both in the short-term and the long-term. In the short-term, the use of antimicrobials is essential, as is following basic best practices with regard to hygiene in the surgical suite. The institution should also take the long-run into consideration, however, and not use antimicrobials excessively, because antimicrobial resistance is one of the major reasons why SSI rates remain persistently high despite a century and a half of continuous improvement efforts.
With specific training and prescribed best practices, the organization can begin to reduce its SSI rates. It is also worth considering that the rates will also decline with a change in the types of patients taken on, or the types of surgeries offered. In addition, education is something that must be done with the staff as well. Ultimately, from a management perspective, most SSIs are preventable, and therefore should be prevented. Hospitals can prevent SSIs by having consistent procedures that are based on evidence. Doing the right thing every time is the best way to reduce SSIs in the future.

Works Cited:

Anderson, D. (2009). Surgical site infections. Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Medical Center. Retrieved September 29, 2012 from http://www.hapmd.com/home/hapmdcom/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cirugia/bibliografica-cx/20110504_articulo_2.pdf

Barie, P. & Eachempati, S. (2005). Surgical site infections. The Surgical Clinics of North America. Vol. 85 (6) 1115-35.

Harbarth, S., Samore, M., Lichtenberg, D. & Carmeli, Y. (2000). Prolonged antibiotic prophylaxis after cardiovascular surgery and its effect on surgical site infections and antimicrobial resistance. Circulation. Vol. 101 (2000) 2916-2921.

Lauwers, S. & de Smet, F. (1998). Surgical site infections. Acta Clin Belg. Vol 53 (5) 303-310.

Mangram, a., Horan, T., Pearson, M., Silver, L., Jarvis, W. (1999). Guideline for prevention of surgical site infection, 1999. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Vol. 20 (4) 250-280.

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited:

Anderson, D. (2009). Surgical site infections. Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Medical Center. Retrieved September 29, 2012 from http://www.hapmd.com/home/hapmdcom/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cirugia/bibliografica-cx/20110504_articulo_2.pdf

Barie, P. & Eachempati, S. (2005). Surgical site infections. The Surgical Clinics of North America. Vol. 85 (6) 1115-35.

Harbarth, S., Samore, M., Lichtenberg, D. & Carmeli, Y. (2000). Prolonged antibiotic prophylaxis after cardiovascular surgery and its effect on surgical site infections and antimicrobial resistance. Circulation. Vol. 101 (2000) 2916-2921.

Lauwers, S. & de Smet, F. (1998). Surgical site infections. Acta Clin Belg. Vol 53 (5) 303-310.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Infection Control Surgical Site Infections Are a
Words: 1204 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Infection Control Surgical site infections are a major issue for any hospital and the eradication of these events is the goal of hospitals and regulatory agencies. The Joint Commission completed a surveillance of the hospital and they gave specific advice regarding surgical site infection control and the results that they had gathered. This particular plan focuses on infection control because it a very critical area that can cause dire issues with

Surgical Site Infection
Words: 2322 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Essay Topic Examples 1. The Prevalence and Impact of Surgical Site Infections in Modern Healthcare:     This essay would explore the current data on the frequency of surgical site infections (SSIs), their impact on patient outcomes, length of hospital stays, and the resulting financial burden on healthcare systems. It would also delve into the importance of SSI surveillance and the effectiveness of prevention strategies. 2. Antibiotic Resistance and Surgical Site Infection Prevention:     This

Surgical Site Infection Prevention Nursing Practice and Understanding...
Words: 1655 Length: 6 Document Type: Research Paper

Title: Nursing Practice and Understanding of Surgical Site Infection Prevention: A Comparison of Standard and Best PracticesIntroductionSurgical site infections (SSIs) significantly cause morbidity and mortality in postoperative patients. The PICOT question for this research paper is: In surgical patients, how do nursing practice and understanding of surgical site infection prevention differ from standard nursing practice regarding the chance of developing surgical site infections during the 90-day postoperative period? This paper

Surgical Site Infections and How to Prevent Them
Words: 1224 Length: 4 Document Type: Research Paper

Quantitative Research Critique and Ethical Considerations Part IIMy PICOT question focuses on hospitalized patients suffering from surgical site infections and generating a comparison of different interventions (including training and reducing stressors upon staff) to reduce the likelihood of such infections occurring post-surgery. This paper reviews the previous literature on attempts to better understand why such preventable infections occur and how to address their root causes.Background of StudyThe study of Teshager,

Routine Shaving of the Surgical Site Select
Words: 2524 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

Routine Shaving of the Surgical Site Select a preoperative procedure (e.g., routine shaving of the surgical site) that you would commonly find on a surgical floor. Describe the process or procedure you have chosen and why you think it needs change. The process which I have chosen for surgical floor is routine shaving of the surgical site and I think it needs change because patients going through surgery are required to remove hair

Surgical Procedure Before a Patient
Words: 1820 Length: 5 Document Type: Research Paper

Some patients might feel as though they are not getting all of the attention they deserve if they are not shaved before surgery. Because patient comfort is a high priority, the attending nurse could explain in layman's terms the rational for the change, and the surgical site could be clipped if needed to put the patient at ease and full his expectations. Mellinger and McCanless's article on evidence-based nursing offers guidance

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now