An Initiative to Prevent Surgical Site Infections After Cesarean Birth With a Quality Improvement Care Bundle

Abstract

ObjectiveTo reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) after cesarean birth through a bundled care approach. DesignQuality improvement project. Setting/Local ProblemIn a community hospital obstetric unit, an increase in SSIs after cesarean birth was observed. ParticipantsNursing leaders, obstetricians, certified nurse-midwives, physician assistants, nurses, scrub technicians, a nursing professional development specialist, and an infection prevention practitioner. Interventions/MeasuresAn interdisciplinary team was formed in early 2022, and an evidence-based care bundle including practice changes, education for the team, and enhanced education for patients undergoing cesarean birth was developed and implemented after a review of the literature was completed. All cesarean births were tracked pre- and postintervention to determine the rate of SSIs per 1,000 cesarean births. ResultsA decrease in the rate of SSIs after cesarean birth was observed from preintervention (18.2 per 1,000 cesarean births) to postintervention (11.8 per 1,000 cesarean births). ConclusionAn evidence-based quality improvement care bundle using a multidisciplinary team approach was associated with reduced SSIs in an obstetric unit.