INFECTION CONTROL
Infection prevention: key issues raised
The need to improve surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance, across Trusts, as well as understand the impact of SSIs on patients’ lives, were among the key issues raised at the Infection Prevention Society’s annual conference. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.
Infection prevention and control experts recently gathered at Infection Prevention 2012, to discuss the latest research and innovation – aimed at reducing the burden of healthcare-associated infection in the UK. One of the main highlights of the conference, each year, is the EM Cottrell Lecture, which is given in honour of the first infection control nurse. This year, the motivational lecture was
delivered by Professor Judith Tanner, professor of clinical nursing research, De Montfort University, who has carried out numerous research studies focussing on surgical site infection. Entitled Think; Plan; Do, Prof. Tanner discussed how a ‘can do’ attitude can be developed, while offering an insight into how research can
be implemented into practice. Reflecting on the importance of
motivating others to deliver improvements in practice, Prof. Tanner commented: “When I was asked to give this presentation, I was initially told it was a motivational session. At first I was worried – what do I know about motivation? Then, recently, I was handed some delegates’ feedback after a conference I had been speaking at. One of them said: ‘This session really motivated me to go back to my workplace and make changes,’ and then it struck me, you don’t need to be Ranulph Fiennes and climb Everest to be motivational – the work that we do everyday matters. The work that we do saves lives.”
She gave an insight into
how she first became involved with improvement projects at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, in 2008, when the lead tissue viability nurse highlighted the fact that her
spending on vacuum dressings had significantly increased because of surgical site infection (SSI).
Surveillance A team was formed to look into the issue and to conduct a surveillance programme to quantify the incidence of SSIs. An initial pilot was undertaken to perform high quality, post-discharge surveillance. This involved an independent surveillance nurse telephoning every single patient on day 10, day 20 and day 30. “For colorectal surgery the SSI rate
was 27% and for breast surgery the rate was 10%,” said Prof. Tanner. “During the surveillance programme, we found other issues which enabled us to change practice.We found that the average cost of treating an infected colorectal wound was £10,500 and the average cost of treating a breast infection was £1,500. “Primary care was picking
up the tab for these costs. When the Primary Care Trust was made aware of this fact, they established CQINN targets, which proved extremely useful as it provided a driver for change.” The chief executive was
also informed of the rates and the costs, and gave his full
‘The work that we do everyday matters. The work that we do saves lives.’
NOVEMBER 2012 THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL 39
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