An audit to determine the clinical effectiveness of a pathway for managing wound infection

Prevention of wound infection is a key objective in the planning of care for patients with wounds. The potential for wound infection, particularly in chronic wounds that are heavily contaminated with bacteria, can be high (Bowler et al, 2001). Wound infection can negatively affect the patient experience, causing pain, delayed healing and poor clinical outcomes (Butcher, 2011). This article outlines the introduction of a clinical pathway for identifying and managing wound infection in a community nursing service. The article sets out the results of an audit to investigate the efficacy of the pathway, and discusses the importance of identifying and managing wound infection risk in patient care.