Vulnerable Population
Surgical patients as a vulnerable populationHealth Assessment and Promotion for Vulnerable Population / Nur 440October 20, 2014Deanna Radford
Surgical patients as a vulnerable population
I have worked in the surgical field for about eight years. I like to relate what we are learning in the classroom to real life. I read an interesting article about the surgical patient and how they classify as a vulnerable population. A population I am comfortable working with. A population I encounter every shift I work. In my paper, I will discuss the definition of a vulnerable population. What makes a surgical patient a member of a vulnerable population and how perioperative nurses reduce the surgical patient’s risk of vulnerability to hospital-acquired infections.Working as a perioperative nurse, I see many walks of life. The one thing that all my patients have in common is they are considered to be a part of a vulnerable population. According to Zinn (2013), “Vulnerable …show more content…
I know reducing infection starts with good education, sterile technique, and proper hand hygiene, but there are others steps I can take to reduce SSI’s. It starts with my assessment. I must be able to identify risks characteristics associated with HAI’s. Risks may include diabetes, obesity, smoking cigarettes, or malnutrition, Zinn (2013). Another risk assessment I use in my daily practice is classifying surgical wounds to help determine risks for SSI’s and help guide us with post-op care. Also, I implement SCIP with every patient. Our team monitors temperature, hair clipping, pre-op antibiotics and glucose levels, Zinn (2013). Patients with SSI’s spend an annual estimated 3.7 million extra hospital days in the US being treated. Adding up to billions of dollars being spent on SSI infections Zinn
Surgical patients as a vulnerable population
I have worked in the surgical field for about eight years. I like to relate what we are learning in the classroom to real life. I read an interesting article about the surgical patient and how they classify as a vulnerable population. A population I am comfortable working with. A population I encounter every shift I work. In my paper, I will discuss the definition of a vulnerable population. What makes a surgical patient a member of a vulnerable population and how perioperative nurses reduce the surgical patient’s risk of vulnerability to hospital-acquired infections.Working as a perioperative nurse, I see many walks of life. The one thing that all my patients have in common is they are considered to be a part of a vulnerable population. According to Zinn (2013), “Vulnerable …show more content…
I know reducing infection starts with good education, sterile technique, and proper hand hygiene, but there are others steps I can take to reduce SSI’s. It starts with my assessment. I must be able to identify risks characteristics associated with HAI’s. Risks may include diabetes, obesity, smoking cigarettes, or malnutrition, Zinn (2013). Another risk assessment I use in my daily practice is classifying surgical wounds to help determine risks for SSI’s and help guide us with post-op care. Also, I implement SCIP with every patient. Our team monitors temperature, hair clipping, pre-op antibiotics and glucose levels, Zinn (2013). Patients with SSI’s spend an annual estimated 3.7 million extra hospital days in the US being treated. Adding up to billions of dollars being spent on SSI infections Zinn