Caesarean Section Wound Infection Prevention Practices among Nurses and Midwives in the Upper East Regional Hospital

Abstract

Caesarean section (CS) is deemed a life-saving procedure. However, Caesarean wound infection is a common complication and accounts for about 12% of mortality in women who deliver by CS. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the practices used by nurses and midwives to prevent Caesarean wound infections in the Upper East Regional Hospital. The Donabedian Quality Care Model was used as a framework to guide the study. An exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was used for the study. Purposive sampling was used to invite nurses and midwives who met the inclusion criteria to participate in the study. Twelve (12) interviews were conducted, using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze data. Four (4) themes were identified and described as follows: Structures influencing CS wound infection prevention, Processes used to prevent CS wound infections, Outcomes of nursing care, and Integration of evidence-based practices in wound care. The findings described the different nursing care provided to patients to prevent wound infections after CS. Prevention of CS wound infections was enabled by skin preparation, education, timely administration of medications, wound dressing, communication, and teamwork to prevent wound infection and facilitate wound healing. However, organizational structures may influence the outcomes of these processes. The participants felt gratified when their patients’ wounds healed without being infected. In conclusion, strategies to enhance the integration of Evidence-based practices (EBP) into wound care must be initiated.