Reducing the risks of surgical site infection: the importance of the multidisciplinary team.

Surgical site infection (SSI), which can range from superficial infection to life-threatening problems, puts extra strain on healthcare resources and can have a significant impact on patient quality of life. The majority of SSIs are preventable, with different members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) playing their part at every stage of the patient journey from preoperative assessment to post-discharge follow up. Effective communication and cooperation between members of the MDT is key.

I know how TB patients feel.

During 2010-11 I spent 6 months working in a rural South African hospital, where drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) was rife. I was diagnosed with TB 10 months after my return to the UK.

Working internationally: challenges and opportunities.

Mel Burden, Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialist, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, shares her experiences of volunteering as a nurse in Benin and South Africa, and reflects on the professional challenges.

Using a change model to reduce the risk of surgical site infection.

A surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance module completed in 2014 highlighted that infection rates for breast surgery inpatients and readmissions at an acute trust had increased to 2.2%, from 0.5% in 2012.