Title: Nursing Practice and Understanding of Surgical Site Infection Prevention: A Comparison of Standard and Best Practices

Introduction

Surgical 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 will analyze two research articles; one focused on implementing best practices for SSI prevention and the other on standard nursing practices. The analysis will examine controllable and uncontrollable factors that influence the risk of SSIs in the 90-day postoperative period.

PICOT Question: 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?

Controllable factors:

Knowledge of best practices for surgical site infections developed in the 90-day postoperative period

Communication of best practices amongst nurses for surgical site infections developed in the 90-day postoperative period

Patient reporting (self-reporting) for surgical site infections acquired in the 90-day postoperative period

Duration of stay in the postoperative period

Uncontrollable Factors:

Demographics of the patient (age, race, socioeconomic status)

Type of surgery (invasive or non-invasive)

Research Article 1: Best Practices for Surgical Site Infection Prevention

Summary of the Article:

This research article focuses on implementing best practices for surgical site infection prevention among nursing staff. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design with two groups: an intervention group (n=100) that received education on best practices for SSI prevention and a control group (n=100) that continued with standard nursing practices. The outcomes measured included the incidence of SSIs in the 90-day postoperative period, knowledge of best practices, communication among nurses, patient self-reporting of SSIs, and the duration of stay in the postoperative period.

Data Analysis Section:

Data analysis in the first study involved a comparison of the incidence of SSIs before and after implementing best practices for SSI prevention. Descriptive statistics were utilized for data summary, and inferential statistics, like t-tests and chi-square tests, were utilized to evaluate if there were significant differences between the two groups.

The results of the data analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of SSIs after the implementation of best practices, with the rate decreasing from 25% to 10% (p < 0.05). Additionally, the knowledge of best practices among nursing staff increased significantly, with 90% of the nurses correctly identifying key SSI prevention strategies after the intervention (p < 0.001). Communication among nurses regarding SSI prevention improved, as evidenced by the establishment of standardized information-sharing protocols.

Furthermore, the rate of patient self-reporting of SSIs increased from 50% to 75% after implementing best practices (p < 0.05), indicating an improvement in patient awareness of SSIs and their symptoms. Lastly, the average duration of stay in the postoperative period decreased from 12 days to 8 days (p < 0.01), suggesting that the intervention not only led to a reduced incidence of SSIs but also improved overall patient recovery.

Findings:

The intervention group confirmed a significant increase in knowledge of best practices for SSI prevention (p<0.001). Communication among nurses in the intervention group also improved (p<0.05). The intervention group showed a drop in the incidence of SSIs in the 90-day postoperative period than the control group (10% vs. 25%, p<0.001). Furthermore, patient self-reporting of SSIs...…in nursing practice to address SSI prevention effectively.

The outcomes comparison underlines the importance of implementing evidence-based best practices for SSI prevention in surgical patients. Nursing staff can significantly reduce SSIs and improve overall patient care by identifying and addressing the gaps in knowledge, communication, and patient engagement.

Proposed Evidence-Based Practice Change:

Based on the analysis of these two research articles, a change in nursing practice is recommended. Implementing best procedures for SSI prevention should be adopted, including targeted education for nursing staff, standardized communication protocols regarding SSI prevention, and encouragement of patient self-reporting of SSIs.

The targeted education for nursing staff could involve the development of training programs, workshops, and continuous professional development opportunities to ensure that nurses are up-to-date with the latest evidence-based practices for SSI prevention. Furthermore, implementing standardized communication protocols, such as regular team meetings, handover discussions, and documentation of SSI prevention strategies, can help facilitate consistent and effective communication among nursing staff.

Patient self-reporting of SSIs can be encouraged through patient education, providing informational materials, and establishing accessible reporting channels. This can help increase patient awareness of SSIs and their symptoms, potentially leading to early detection and prompt intervention.

These evidence-based changes may reduce the incidence of SSIs during the 90-day postoperative period, improving patient outcomes and potentially reducing healthcare costs. By embracing these best practices, nursing staff can play a critical role in increasing the quality of care provided to surgical patients and promoting a culture of patient safety.

Conclusion:

The analysis of the two research articles supports the conclusion that nursing practice and understanding surgical site infection prevention can impact the incidence of SSIs in the 90-day postoperative period. By adopting best practices for SSI prevention, nursing staff…