Effect of Designed Wound Care Guidelines for Pediatric Nurses on Occurrence of Surgical Site Complications

Abstract

Surgical site complications are the commonest nosocomial infections and responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality as well as increased hospitalizations and treatment cost related to surgical operations, wound care guidelines proved to avoid occurrence of wound complications. The aim of the current study: was to evaluate the effect of designed wound care guidelines for pediatric nurses on occurrence of surgical site complications. Design: pre-posttest quasi-experimental research design was utilized to fit the aim of the current study. Setting: the study was conducted in the Intermediate Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ISICU) at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital (CUSPH). Sample: A convenient sample of 30 nurses and 60 children in the postoperative period after abdominal surgeries were participated in the current study; children were divided into two equal groups: 30 as a control group and 30 as a study group and nurses were the same for the study and control group of children. Data collection tools: data were collected using the following tools: structured interview sheet, pre/posttest sheet and observation checklists to evaluate nurse's knowledge and practice as well as postoperative recording sheet. Results: the results revealed that, there was statistically significant difference between the total mean score of nurses’ knowledge and practice before and after implementation of wound care guidelines. Children in the study group exposed to less wound complications than children in the control group. Conclusion: the study concluded that children who cared by nurses receiving wound care guidelines sessions were exposed to less surgical site complications than those in the control group.