Statement of the Problem
Surgical treatment happens for a number of people with infections that require operations. However, a various people suffer infections after these operations. For this reason, many researchers have investigated infections that are associated with operations. Surgical infections are diverse and complicated which explains the significance of examining the subject from a critical point of view. The sophisticated biology of the human anatomy is the major problem behind the infections associated with operations hence the need to research into the problem.
Some people develop surgical infections due to poor surgical operations; however, others may develop complications because of genetic problems like inherited ulcers (Sherlaw-Johnson et al, 2007). Various stakeholders may prompt surgical infections with patient being the focal point. Doctors and surgeons perform the medical activities, researchers develop techniques to monitor the illnesses, and the society offers support to the medical field. The research happens in the context of surgeons whose operations lead to complications and infections in the patients. Surgical resources and their inadequacy may present the constraints to the research.
Research Questions
- What are the causes of surgical infections among patient?
- What are the signs and symptoms of surgical infections?
- What precautions can be taken to prevent the surgical infections?
- What are the effects of surgical infections in humans?
Literature Review
Various scholars have explored the subject of surgical infections proposing diverse arguments. According to Petrou (2006), people often become victims of surgical infections without their knowledge. Particularly, studies affirm that most people hardly notice infections while at their early stages of presentation due to poor knowledge of such infections. Malaise is one of the symptoms of surgical infections. Individuals who are recovering from the infection often feel weak. This condition makes individuals be inactive as they lack morale of engaging in aggressive activities. Furthermore, persistent fever is a pronounced trait of patients who are recovering from surgical infections. A low-grade fever (100 or less) is common in the early days following surgery. However, a fever of 101 or more should be reported to the surgeon or any other medical practitioner. Petrou identifies that the addressing the problem of surgical infections is challenging because several varied infections affect people after surgery. These infections mainly include partially Collapsed Lung (Atelectasis), blood Clots, pneumonia and other nosocomial infections, and resistant and opportunistic pathogens (Petrou, 2006).
Landro (2003) proposes a remedy to this problem by arguing that effective utilization of medical strategies can help individuals identify when suffering from infections. The scholar highlights that after surgical procedures, a patient may get an incentive spirometer. This device gauges the patient’s inhalations and can help one to achieve a goal of taking several deep breaths multiple times a day. The device helps to uncover any problems in the breathing, which may reveal any infections and complications. Surgical infections are characterized with various side effects. Initially, some infections have the potential of causing recurring illnesses. Some people have had to undergo surgery twice or more because they developed infections after the first surgery. Furthermore, surgical illnesses can lead to trauma to the victims. After surgery, patients are motivated with the assumption that they ought to recovery and returning to their normal lives. Surgical infections may make patients lose hope in recovery and some of them even commit suicide when the infections reoccur.
It is apparent that surgical infections is a sensitive issue that needs critical attentions. The society cannot continue bearing the detrimental consequences that characterize this issue. Surgical infections discredit surgical medical procedures that targets improving the warfare of the patient. This is because these infections introduce other harmful effects to the patient thus complicating health care procedures. This explains the significance of establishing policies and investing in strategies that target minimizing surgical infections. Particularly, adopting communal effort that integrates full participation of all stakeholders provides a strategic approach for addressing this challenge.
References
Landro, L. (2003, Sep 11). The informed patient: How to keep the hospital from making you sicker; surgical infections become harder to treat, prompting stepped-up prevention efforts. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398953693?accountid=45049
Petrou, I. (2006). Scrutinizing incidence of surgical site infections. Dermatology Times, 27 (7), 69. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/231076777?accountid=45049
Sherlaw-Johnson, C., Wilson, P., & Gallivan, S. (2007). The development and use of tools for monitoring the occurrence of surgical wound infections. The Journal of the Operational Research Society, 58(2), 228-234. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602223
