Surgical Wounds

Article Title: Graduating Student Nurses' and Student Podiatrists' Wound Care Competence: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kielo E, Salminen L, Suhonen R, Puukka P, Stolt M
Journal: J Wound Care. 2019;28(3):136-145
Reviewed by: Stephanie Golding, class of 2020, Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

By Kathy Gallagher, DNP, APRN-FNP, CMC, UMC, BC, WCC, CWS, FACCWS

In 2010, Christiana Care Health System, a 1,000 bed Level I trauma center in Wilmington, Delaware, introduced an acute surgical wound service (ASWS) integration plan in with a single dedicated nurse practitioner, trauma surgeon, and administrative leader. Subsequently, trauma patients with complex wounds experienced decreased morbidity and length of stay. Closely aligned with these numbers, their patient days of negative pressure wound therapy fell from 11+ days in 2010 to 8.2 days in 2018, representing one of the lowest in the nation.

By Kathy Gallagher, DNP, APRN-FNP, CMC, UMC, BC, WCC, CWS, FACCWS

Welcome to the first in a series of blogs focusing on acute surgical wound management. Future segments will discuss steps toward developing an acute surgical wound service (ASWS) and tips reflective of successful healing strategies.

by Hy-Tape International

Infections are common and serious complications associated with post-surgical wounds. In wounds resulting from clean surgery, 8% become infected among the general population and 25% among those over 60 years of age. Preventing these infections can help reduce costs, improve patient outcomes, and save lives. It is critical that health care professionals understand the risk of cross-contamination and take steps to prevent it.

by the WoundSource Editors

Acute Wound: A wound that is following a predicted pattern of healing that should result in complete functional closure.

Chronic Wound: A wound that has failed to re-epithelialize after three months, usually because of failure to progress past the inflammatory phase of wound healing.

by the WoundSource Editors

Surgical site infections (SSIs) account for 20% of total documented infections each year and cost approximately $34,000 per episode. SSIs are responsible for increased readmission rates, length of stay, reoperation, morbidity, and mortality, as well as increased overall health care costs.^1,2

by the WoundSource Editors

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most prevalent surgical wound complications, comprising approximately 15% of all health care–associated infections, with more than 500,000 reported yearly.¹ Preventing SSIs is perhaps the best way to prevent further surgical wound complications.

by the WoundSource Editors

Appropriate surgical wound and incision management in the post-operative time period is imperative to prevent complications, including surgical site infection and wound dehiscence. The tenets of modern wound management are applicable to primarily closed incisions, as well as to subacute and chronic wounds.

by the WoundSource Editors

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate approximately 30 million surgical procedures are performed annually in the United States.¹ Advances in technology have afforded patients options such as minimally invasive surgery, commonly known as laparoscopic or arthroscopic surgery, which tend to result in much smaller (1cm–2cm) incisions.

by the WoundSource Editors

Of the millions of surgical procedures performed annually, most surgical site wounds heal without complications. Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common complications that may occur after surgery, and that may delay healing, therefore increasing the cost of care.¹