Prediction of Risk Factors for Infection Occurrence in Patients with Burn Injury

Abstract

Burn injuries have been recognized as a significant and major public health problem in economically developing countries. Long open wound areas containing necrotic tissue make burn patients more susceptible to infection. Nosocomial infection is a recognized public health problem world-wide with an important cause of burn mortality. So, this study aimed to predict risk factors for occurrence of infection in patients with burn injury. Research design: Analytical cross sectional study design used the following research question: What are risk factors for occurrence of infection in patients with burn injury? Setting: At selected Plastic, reconstructive and Burn Surgery Center- Ain Shams University. Sample: A purposive sample, 100 patients of who correspond to inclusion criteria and all available nurses (n=30).Tools for data collection: Four tools; Tool 1: patient's interview questionnaire. Tool 2: patients with burn parameters^, tool. Tool 3: observational checklist of nurses' performance, Tool 4: hospital's environment observational checklist. Result: The results indicate that there were a relation between patients with local signs of burn wound infection and site& degree of burn, total burned surface area and increased WBCs& body temperature. Nurses^, practice was poor and there were a relation between burn wound dressing and proper use of personal protective equipment& local signs of burn wound infection. Conclusion: risk for burn wound infection increase with age, males are more affected than females and also increased length of hospital stay increase risk for infection where 3^rd degree burns were more liable for wound infection and burn wound excision considered also risk for infection. Recommendation: Nurses need a specific teaching guideline and training about infection control measures to be used when dealing with burned patients to minimize risk for nosocomial infection.

Keywords: prediction, risk factors, infection, patient, burn injury.