The health status of citizens gives an indication of the overall health levels in the nation. It involves several aspects on matters concerning health from personal health to the services provided at the healthcare setting. The PICOT questions analyzed is "in nurses who work in the orthopedic care centers (P), what effect do they, and the use of (C) different preoperative antibiotics prophylaxis among different patients (I) have on the rate of hospitalization or mortality of the patients (O)?" The issue about surgical site infection has been a great threat in ensuring the success of surgical procedures may it be major or minor surgeries in ensuring that healing is achieved within the shortest time possible. Carrying out surgeries involves creation of opening on a specific part of the body of an individual who becomes an entry point of bacteria that cause varied types of illnesses. Nurses have crucial roles to play in the fight against this alarming threat to the medical procedure. It is a global issue as medical procedures that involve surgeries happen all over the world. The nurses are the ones who prepare the instruments used in the procedure. Proper sterilization is needed to ensure that in case the tool to be used in the procedure were exposed to the bacteria on a particular surface it is safe. The bacteria on the tool will not be able to pass to the patient undergoing the surgery. The other aspect about this concern that relates to the issue of SSI is hand hygiene. The nurses are close to the surgeon and are supposed to help in holding the tools or parts of the opening while the procedure conducted. Ensuring proper cleaning of hands is paramount as hands come into contact with the surface thus may end up picking bacteria that without observing proper hand hygiene will be passed on to the patient and cause illness.
Several articles giving in details about the issue were analyzed in the literature review part. Going through the articles brought about a revelation that surgical site infection is something that has been in existence in ancient times with different techniques used to help the patient recover from the then unavoidable infections (Great Britain, 2009). It helps one understand better medical procedures and the importance of research and technological advancement that has made it possible to avoid some infections not only in health care setting, but also any other places. The articles provide crucial information on statics collected by researchers on the issues and the possible channels of infection. Therefore, it shows and indicate the importance of prioritizing this issue in an attempt to improve services and safety in health care setting. The importance of the article of research by the Centre for Disease Control cannot be overlooked as it gives other aspects critical in the fight against SSI.
The article by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence proves vital as it gives information important to the nursing practice. Maintenance of high level of hygiene before and after the procedure is important in this aspect of wound hygiene. The nurses are involved in preparing the patient before the procedure by the surgeon. It involves disinfection of the part where the procedure is to take place and administration of the prophylaxis antibiotics. It is the duty of a particular to know the appropriate disinfectant to use. It is characterized by understanding the environment and thus the most appropriate disinfectant to use in a particular situation. Understanding the dosage of prophylaxis antibiotic to administer before a procedure is crucial for a nurse to understand. This is so in order for the fight against infection by the antibiotic to last within the whole procedure. Research by cohort in 1990 also shines some light on the roles nurses are supposed to play in ensuring the fight against SSI is achieved. Wound hygiene is important in ensuring bacteria does not get into the patient after the procedure. Nurses are expected to regularly check the patients and ensure that the wounds are clean in terms bandage change and cleaning using disinfectants. The environment of the patient should also be maintained clean to keep off bacteria that might be exposed to the patient thus causing illness.
Importance of reducing surgical site infection cannot stand a chance to be overlooked. Statistics for the Center for Disease Control indicate that 60% of patients who undergo surgical procedures comeback with illnesses due to infection that got into the body through surgical procedures. Postoperative illnesses are common and have a serious effect to the people and economy in general. The research contributes to a better outcome due to several reasons. The 60% of patients who comeback with postoperative illnesses require treatment and some become serious that it the hospitalization is required (Miller, 2012). It is clear that the treatments offered need resource that would have been used in other aspects rather than treat an illness that would have been avoided from the first scenario. The government is forced to channel more funds and resources to hospitals in an attempt to cure people affected which slows down economic growth. It is also traumatic to the patient having to undergo the procedure and another treatment within a short period thus eliminating surgical site infection would help reduce this phenomenon.
Failure to observe the procedures and techniques to eliminate or reduce surgical site infection can be disastrous. Varied hospitals are situated in different regions that mean they are found in different environments. The different environmental brings about variability in the rate of probable bacteria likely to affect the patient. Some illnesses caused by these bacteria are serious to the extent that death occurs. It is a loss to the family, society and nation of the deceased due to productivity of the departed (National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health (Great Britain), & National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Great Britain), 2011). The worst thing about such a situation is that is occurs due to something that would have been prevented with great care and caution. Increased treatment cost is another thing in this situation. Hospitalization of patients who have suffered from such infection is expensive and also crowding can occur in a hospital thus making the available resources not enough for the available patients.
After identification of the problem, it is vital to communicate to the concerned parties about the issue and the suggested methods of handling the situation. It is easier to begin spreading the information within one's organization. It can be done through organization of meetings to educate the nurses and physicians involved in surgery about the issue and the suggestions in eliminating the issue. It is imperative also to ensure that the general hygiene level of the place is improved proper hand cleaning techniques and installations of sinks for use in cleaning hands to take place. Research on the most probable bacteria to infect patients on that environment should commence immediately with the government contributing heavily on the research process. Creation of awareness on other parts can be done through organizing seminars and meetings in different places. The information can also be passed the general public emphasizing on hygiene and taking care of the open wound while at home to avoid infection. The other thing that can be used is the creation of the website that has got detailed information on the topic and allows for the exchange of ideas and information. It helps one understand what other people are thing around the world. Concerns about the issue would be handled by providing real statistical data that show the thing is real, and its growth is alarming. It would also be efficient to provide suggestions and offering option of giving suggestions and more information.
References
Great Britain. (2009). Saving lives: A delivery programme to reduce healthcare associated infection including MRSA. London: Department of Health.
Miller, J. M., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) & National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (U.S.). (2012). Guidelines for safe work practices in human and animal medical diagnostic laboratories: Recommendations of a CDC-convened, biosafety blue ribbon panel. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health (Great Britain), & National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Great Britain). (2011). Surgical site infection: Prevention and treatment of surgical site infection. London: RCOG.
