Theatre Practice: The Art of Reducing Surgical Site Infections

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the leading cause of post-operative morbidity in cats and dogs following major surgery. This not only impacts patient recovery and leads to client stress, but also has financial implications for the practice. The incidence of SSIs in dogs and cats varies from less than 1% to 18% and depends on a wide variety of factors, such as the type of surgery, physical status of the patient, anaesthesia time and the use of surgical implants. This webinar will consider some everyday protocols that can be adopted in practice to help reduce the incidence of hospital acquired infections, including maintenance of the surgical environment, the evidence for specific theatre attire and general rules of conduct in theatre.

Louise Grieve

RVN

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Louise graduated from Glasgow University in 2003 with a degree in Zoology. After a few years, she started her veterinary nursing training whilst working in a small general practice in Glasgow. She qualified in 2009 and joined Vets Now Referral Hospital in Glasgow in 2011, where she spent 9 years as Senior Surgery Nurse. In 2016, she gained a distinction in her Advanced Veterinary Nursing Diploma. For the last 3 years, Louise has held the position of Learning and Development Team Leader at Veterinary Specialists Scotland. Having recently gained her Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing in Teaching and Coaching, she enjoys supporting the nursing team with their professional development journeys, as well as helping them to identify and address training needs.