ACORN Standard: Infection prevention

Abstract

The prevention of infection in patients having surgical procedures in the operating suite runs to the very core of perioperative nursing passion and practice. A delicate balance exists between the number of bacteria humans require to maintain health and preventing the opportunist invasion of bacteria that may cause surgical site infections1. Wounds provide bacteria an attractive environment in which they can potentially flourish and cause significant damage. The chain of infection requires a pathogen source, a susceptible host, and a method of transmission. The ability to break this chain is vital to infection prevention.