Postoperative wound complications: prevention of surgical site infections

Veterinary nurses often assess patients postoperatively, so it is vital to be able to recognise the signs of surgical site infections (SSIs). This article considers the use of a three-tier system, which classifies SSIs on their depth and the tissue(s) involved, to accurately report the incident. It also describes the use of an active surveillance system to identify trends and enable protocols to be put in place to reduce the incidence of SSIs.