ASSESSMENT OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS RELATED TO DIABETES AND ITS EFFECT ON PATIENT PSYCHOLOGY

Abstract

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a prominent postoperative complication among diabetic patients due to chronic hyperglycemia, which impairs immune cell function and delays wound healing pathways. Beyond physical morbidity, SSIs impose a profound psychological burden. This study assessed Registered Nurses’ knowledge, clinical practices, and perceptions regarding SSIs in diabetic individuals and their evaluation of the associated patient psychological toll within tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted in the surgical and diabetic units of Lahore General Hospital, Lahore. A non-probability purposive sample of  Registered Nurses was calculated using Slovin’s formula from a total population of  with a margin of error . Data collection utilized a structured 20-item Likert-scale instrument incorporating variables from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) frameworks to assess clinical knowledge, care management practices, and psychological perceptions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via SPSS.

Results: The sample consisted predominantly of female nursing professionals (74.7%). While baseline awareness regarding the elevated risk of SSIs in diabetic individuals (68.7% reporting Always/Very Often) and the adverse impact of poor glycemic control on wound healing (68.0%) was high, a critical practice gap was identified. Specifically, 40.7% of respondents only "Sometimes" prioritized the necessity of sterile techniques, and 34.7% reported inconsistent ("Sometimes") execution of strict aseptic techniques during postoperative wound dressing. Conversely, clinical surveillance routines were highly stable, with 70.0% consistently monitoring blood glucose and 68.6% promptly documenting early signs of infection. Regarding psychological dimensions, 64.6% observed significant stress and anxiety in patients.

Conclusion: Nurses possess an adequate foundational grasp of the physiological mechanisms linking diabetes to SSIs alongside robust infection surveillance habits. However, a substantial execution gap exists regarding strict adherence to sterile and aseptic wound management techniques. Furthermore, while nurses demonstrate high empathetic awareness of the adverse psychological impacts of SSIs.