Avoiding surgical site infections in neurosurgical procedures

28 OR Nurse2015 May www.ORNurseJournal.com For any patient about to undergo a surgical procedure, the possibility of developing a surgical site infection (SSI) is an ever-present risk. SSIs continue to represent the most common type of harm for the surgical population, estimated to occur in 2%-5% of all surgical procedures performed in the United States.1-9 SSIs also represent 14% to 31% of all hospital-acquired infections and account for almost 77% of all deaths in patients with a hospital-acquired infection.3,7, 10-12 The consequences of acquiring an SSI for the patient and family can be overwhelming, as an SSI significantly impacts the patient’s morbidity and mortality.1,4,5,7,9,11,13-19 As professional and regulatory agencies challenge and hold organizations accountable for a critical assessment of their prevention efforts, SSIs are a true public health concern and their elimination must be a priority for organizations to improve patient safety and the quality of care delivered.8,20