Effectiveness of a care bundle to reduce surgical site infections in patients having open colorectal surgery

Tanner, Judith, Kiernan, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9926-7781, Hilliam, R., Davey, S., Collins, E., Wood, T., Ball, E. and Leaper, David (2016) Effectiveness of a care bundle to reduce surgical site infections in patients having open colorectal surgery. Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 98 (4). pp. 270-274. ISSN 0035-8843

[thumbnail of rcsann.2016.pdf]
Preview
PDF
rcsann.2016.pdf - Published Version

Download (205kB) | Preview

Abstract

INTRODUCTION In 2010 a care bundle was introduced by the Department of Health (DH) to reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) in England. To date, use of the care bundle has not been evaluated despite incorporating interventions with resource implications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the DH SSI care bundle in open colorectal surgery.
METHODS A prospective cohort design was used at two teaching hospitals in England. The baseline group consisted of 127 consecutive patients having colorectal surgery during a 6-month period while the intervention group comprised 166 patients in the subsequent 6 months. SSI and care bundle compliance data were collected using dedicated surveillance staff.
RESULTS Just under a quarter (24%) of the patients in the baseline group developed a SSI compared with just over a quarter (28%) in the care bundle group (p>0.05). However, compliance rates with individual interventions, both before and after the implementation of the bundle, were similar. Interestingly, in only 19% of cases was there compliance with the total care bundle. The single intervention that showed an associated reduction in SSI was preoperative warming (p=0.032).
CONCLUSIONS The DH care bundle did not reduce SSIs after open colorectal surgery. Despite this, it is not possible to state that the bundle is ineffective as compliance rates before and after bundle implementation were similar. All studies evaluating the effectiveness of care bundles must include data for compliance with interventions both before and after implementation of the care bundle; poor compliance may be one of the reasons for the lower than expected reduction of SSIs.

Item Type: Article
Identifier: 10.1308/rcsann.2016.0072
Additional Information: © 2015 The Royal College of Surgeons of England
Keywords: Colorectal surgery, Surgical site infection, Care bundle, Compliance
Subjects: Medicine and health > Clinical medicine
Medicine and health > Nursing
Depositing User: Martin Kiernan
Date Deposited: 14 Jun 2016 09:58
Last Modified: 06 Feb 2024 15:45
URI: https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/2554

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Menu