Relationship between nursing specialty certification and SSIs

Editor's Note

This study, which examined the relationship between nursing specialty certification and surgical site infections (SSIs), found that only Magnet status was associated with lower SSI rates.

Analyzing data from 69 hospitals, 346 units, and 6,585 RNs, along with SSI data on 22,188 patients after colon and abdominal hysterectomy procedures, multivariate analysis showed that the odds of SSIs were 40% lower in Magnet hospitals. Higher ASA scores, longer procedure times, and wound class were associated with higher SSI rates.

Nursing specialty certification was not significantly associated with SSIs after controlling for other variables, nor were RN education, RN tenure, RN years in practice, hospital ownership, teaching status, or bed size.

Future research should examine the association of certification with patient outcomes and the effect of Magnet status on SSIs, the authors concluded.