CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS OF POST-OPERATIVE WOUND INFECTIONS IN THE MALE AND FEMALE SURGICAL WARDS OF KATH

Abstract

Infection has always been a feature of human life and sepsis in modern surgery continues to be a significant problem for health practitioners across the globe. The research sought to determine the contributory factors to post-operative wound infections in the surgical wards (Surgical wound infections) of KATH. The study population involved Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Assistants at the surgical wards of KATH. It was a descriptive study using a simple random sampling technique, involving 76 respondents. Results from the study revealed that 96% of respondents used autoclave to sterilize equipment for wound dressing, 3% used steaming and 1% used high level sterilization. Procedure for wound dressing included 71% used sterile gloved hand, 26% used instruments and 3% used other methods. As to the number of times patients’ wounds were dressed, 71% used alternate days, 24% on daily basis and 5% based on physicians order. It is concluded that most common method of sterilization was autoclaving. Majority of the respondents dress wound on alternate days, most of them use sterile gloved hands in dressing wound and most of the patients were educated before surgery.