Nursing diagnosis risk of infection in patients in the postoperative period: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim:  To  compare  the  risk  factors  associated  with  the  nursing diagnosis  risk  of infection  in  patients  during  the  postoperative  period,  according  to  the taxonomy  of  NANDA-I,  with  factors  present  in  patients  with  established  infection. Method: an analytical, cross-sectional study with 80 patients in the postoperative period. Results:   risk   factors:   inadequate   primary   defense   (ruptured   skin   and   invasive procedures),   smoking   and   inadequate   secondary   defense   by   the   suppressed inflammatory response were statistically significant in patients at risk of infection. In the group  of  patients  with  an  established  infection,  there  was  a  positive  association  for inadequate  primary  defense  (ruptured  skin  and  invasive  procedures)  and  decreased hemoglobin. Discussion: for an overall assessment of the predictive factors for infection, an integrated multifactorial analysis, including the whole perioperative period is required. Conclusion: inadequate  primary defense  for invasive  procedures  and  ruptured skin  and decreased hemoglobin were factors associated with both the risk and for the presence of infection.