NURSES' STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING SURGICAL SITE INFECTION

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common postoperative complications in surgical settings in many countries. The impact is greater in low- and middle-income settings. OBJECTIVES: to describe the main strategies adopted by nursing in the literature to prevent surgical site infections. METHODOLOGY: This study was developed through an integrative literature review, based on the guiding question “what are the nurses’ strategies to prevent surgical site infections?”, from which articles published in the last ten years in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases were analyzed, using the following descriptors extracted from MeSH: surgical site infection, strategies, prevention. Data analysis was performed qualitatively and compared with the literature to identify patterns, challenges and gaps in the implementation of preventive measures. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: In perioperative care, preventive measures for surgical site infection stand out: adherence to the safe surgery protocol, glycemic control, temperature, care of the surgical wound, dressing and education of the surgical patient. CONCLUSION: The safety measures carried out by the nurse during the pre, trans and postoperative periods are essential for a balanced and damage-free recovery.