Diagnosing and managing wound infection.

This article describes the wound infection continuum in surgical, acute and chronic wounds. The phases are: contamination, colonisation, local infection and finally spreading and systemic infection. Clinicians need to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of local infection in order to put strateg...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Community Nursing Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 26 - 33
Autor principal: Brown, Annemarie
Formato: pictorial tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wound Care People Limited Aug2022
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:This article describes the wound infection continuum in surgical, acute and chronic wounds. The phases are: contamination, colonisation, local infection and finally spreading and systemic infection. Clinicians need to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of local infection in order to put strategies in place to prevent a 'full blown' wound infection and to recognise how the signs and symptoms differ by wound type. The article looks at the most recent guidance on wound infection management strategies, together with the identification and treatment of suspected biofilms and the two-week challenge, used in clinical practice to disrupt biofilms. Wound cleansing and the use of antimicrobial dressings and topical antiseptics are also discussed.