Help Prevent Surgical Site Infection Using TS+ Surgical Site Infection prevention care bundle audit tool from Medical Audits

Surgical site infection is a type of healthcare-associated wound infection affecting the incision site after an invasive (surgical) procedure.

Surgical site infections (SSI) are associated with considerable morbidity and extended hospital stay resulting in a considerable financial burden to healthcare providers.

The majority of SSI are preventable and yet they account for 20% of HCAI (HPA, 2012) and as many as 5% of patients who have surgery will acquire an SSI.

Patient Associated Risks

There are certain patient related risks associated with increased susceptibility to developing surgical site infections such as:-

  • Age (very young or very old)
  • Presence of co-morbidities
  • Patients on high dose steroids
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Site and classification of surgery

Interventions to Reduce Risks include


  • Nutrition management
  • Skin Prep
  • Timing of Antimicrobial Prophylaxis
  • Surgical Scrub
  • Management of Oxygen Sats
  • Management of Blood Glucose Levels
  • Correct Dressing Selection
  • Post-operative wound care

Bundled together, these interventions have been proven to reduce HCAI and yet compliance is not optimal and surgical site infection rates remain anything from less than 1% to over 25% depending on the procedure performed and risk score of the patient.

Implement Surgical Site Care Bundles for Preventing SSI Using Medical Audits TS+

Medical Audits Surgical Site care bundle audit tool facilitates data collection on compliance with care bundles to reduce surgical site infection in the ward and in the operating theatre.

Use TS+ audit systems to audit your compliance with International guidelines and standards including:

✔ High Impact Intervention Care bundle to prevent surgical site infection (NHS, 2007)
✔ Key recommendations to Prevent Surgical Site Infections Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (2012)
✔ National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical guideline number 74 (2008)
✔ Centre for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and definitions (2012)
✔ EPIC 3 Guidelines on prevention of HCAI in England (2012)
✔ NICE SSI Evidence update 43 (2013)

Prevention of HCAIs through proactive encouragement and promotion of best practice in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) by providers and commissioners (including routine communications and engagement through IPC Committees and Partnership Groups)is essential” (HPA, 2012)

Auditing practice is essential to measure performance, evidence compliance and identify gaps in practice that may increase the risk of surgical site infection (SSI).

Feedback of data should be prompt and issues identified should be notified to staff at the time of audit to improve learning and reduce risks for patients

Medical Audits have developed an audit tool specifically to support Infection prevention and control nurses (IPCN) during daily ward rounds. Using our system will assist in data collection and analysis of compliance with best practice in reducing risks of Surgical Site Infection.

  • Medical Audits develop our systems with reference to National standards for Infection prevention across the EU and the UK and including the US and Australia.
  • You can audit against all the newest standards and be confident you will identify issues quickly and efficiently.


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Prevention And Treatment Of Surgical Site Infection Healthcare Associated Infection Operational Guidance And Standards For Health Protection Units

Medical Audits Surgical Site Care Bundles monitor Pre-operative, Intra-operative and Post-operative interventions proven to reduce rates of SSI
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