Patient risk factors for wound infection include advanced age, malnutrition, hypovolemia, obesity, steroid use, diabetes, use of immunosuppressive agents, smoking, and coexistent infection at a remote site.
Pre-existing client conditions like diabetes mellitus or compromised immune systems may put the client at risk. Typically, an infection develops in 3 to 6 days following a skin injury.
1. Old wounds. The propensity for infection is directly related to number of contaminating bacteria in the wound edges, says Herr. "The bacteria begin to proliferate after about eight hours, so any wound older than 12 hours runs a higher risk of infection," he notes.
It is important to clean and protect the wound properly to reduce the risk of infection. The risk of wound infection is higher if: the wound is large, deep, or has a jagged edge. dirt or foreign particles entering the wound.
Poor wound healing can occur due to the disruption of any of the three phases of healing. Common risk factors for abnormal healing include the presence of necrotic tissue, infection, ischemia, smoking, diabetes, malnutrition, glucocorticoid use, and radiation exposure.
Kazamias, MS, DPM: Well, it usually would be the Medicare-age population, 65 and older. They're at a significant increased risk over the general population. We mentioned earlier patients with comorbidities, patients who have diabetes, and patients who have circulatory issues. These patients are at higher risk.
People who are very overweight or obese are more likely to experience delayed wound healing as well as wound complications, including infection. Being overweight places more pressure on the wound itself, effectively decreasing the amount of nutrients and oxygen it receives to fuel the healing process.
Wounds – wounds, incisions (surgical cuts), burns, and skin ulcers are all prone to infection. High-risk patient care areas – some patient care areas are more likely to have infections, such as hospital intensive care units.
The most common causative organisms associated with wound infections include Staphylococcus aureus/MRSA, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
As we age, our immune system weakens. This makes us more vulnerable to infections of all types.
Additionally, patients who are already ill or weak are more likely to be vulnerable to infection. And it's not just patients who are at risk—some germs can break through the body's natural defenses, even in a person who is healthy, like a healthcare worker.
The last link in the chain of infection is the susceptible host. This is the organism (e.g., You or your resident!) that will feel the effects of the infectious disease that has traveled through the chain of infection. The very young or very old are usually more susceptible.
Predictors of being persistently high-risk included urban residence, chronic medical comorbidities, auditory and visual impairment, chronic pain, any cancer diagnosis, and social instability. Conclusions: Few patients who were high-risk for hospitalization at baseline remained so.
Hospital-acquired infections are caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens; the most common types are bloodstream infection (BSI), pneumonia (eg, ventilator-associated pneumonia [VAP]), urinary tract infection (UTI), and surgical site infection (SSI).
Most surgical-site infections (SSIs) are contaminated by the patient's own endogenous flora, which are present on the skin, mucous membranes, or hollow viscera.
Patients with advanced age are at high-risk risk for skin impairment because the skin is less elastic, has less moisture, and has thinning of the epidermis.
Smoking, diabetes, anemia and other vascular conditions all lead to decreased circulation, increasing risk for skin breakdown. Individuals who are depressed or have impaired thinking and judgment due to substance abuse are less likely to be vigilant with regard to important self-care issues, such as skin health.
Risk Factors. There are several factors that can increase a patient's risk of developing a chronic wound. Bariatric patients and those with diabetes or venous insufficiency are at elevated risk as well as older patients.
Anyone confined to a bed or chair for a long time is at risk of developing a pressure sore. Pressure sores can be difficult to treat. Prevention includes regular changes of position, good hygiene and skin care, and a healthy diet.
Poor practices that may lead to infection
Poor practice, e.g. coughing and sneezing without covering mouth, poor personal hygiene, not washing hands between contact with individuals.
If you are younger than 60, in good health and don't have too many bad habits, then your immune system is probably functioning well enough to keep you safe from almost any infectious disease, including coronavirus. The bad news is that as we age, our immune systems gradually deteriorate too.