Course Description
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant public health concern. SSIs increase patient morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stays, and healthcare costs. Roughly 2 out of every 100 procedures result in an SSI, extending hospitalization by 11.2 days and adding about $20,785.
Healthcare professionals play a vital role in lowering SSI risks to help achieve better patient outcomes. By exploring patient-related and procedural risk factors and discussing prevention techniques, this course offers an in-depth understanding of what causes SSIs, their impacts, and how to prevent them.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, the learner will be able to:
- Define surgical site infections.
- Discuss the burden they place on the healthcare system.
- Examine patient-specific risk factors along with risk factors unique to the perioperative setting.
- Identify strategies to help address risk factors and prevent surgical site infections.
Intended Audience
This educational activity was developed for nurses.
CE Information
This course is approved for 1.0 contact hours by the Florida and California State Boards of Nursing.
Course Authors
This course was written by Megan Stewart, MD; Jessica Taylor, RN; Matthew Lowe, RN, CNOR, CST, CSFA; and edited by Brenda Kozak, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, CNE.
Matthew is a perioperative nurse and surgical professional with more than 25 years of experience.
Brenda has over 25 years of clinical experience in nursing practice and is a certified nurse educator. She earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice along with a Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on education.