used in surgical settings, and of training new nurses to understand and obey these rules meticulously.
Why The Issue is Important to Nursing Practice
Perioperative nurses are the first line of defense for surgical patients and each time they intervene, they are capable of reducing the risks of perioperative infection (Beyea). It is critical, therefore, that these nurses keep current on the latest recommendations and make sure that all those on the surgical team adhere to them also. To help protect patients from infection, perioperative nurses must instruct patients about showering and bathing with antiseptic soap, teach new nurses about correct perioperative procedures and surgical asepsis, exert traffic control by minimizing the number of personnel entering and exiting a room, ensure sterility of instruments, and administer antibiotics as needed. Much of the responsibility for the prevention of perioperative infections lies with the nursing staff.
Fernandez, Mongo and Garcinuno (2001) compared the postoperative infection rate of surgical patients who did or did not receive adequate antibiotic prophylaxis. A prospective study was carried out on 754 patients undergoing surgery, 263 (34.88 percent) of whom received appropriate perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis and 491 (65.12 percent) of whom received inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis. Of those who received adequate antibiotic prophylaxis, the nosocomial infection rate was 10.65 percent, and those who received inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis had a nosocomial infection rate of 33.40 percent. The relative risk of infection was 4.21 times higher for patients who did not receive adequate antibiotic prophylaxis.
This study clearly showed the benefits to the patient of adequate antibiotic prophylaxis perioper
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