Post-operative nursing activities to prevent wound complications in patients undergoing colorectal surgeries: A scoping review

Aims: To identify postoperative interventions and quality improvement initiatives used to prevent wound complications in patients undergoing colorectal surgeries, the types of activities nurses undertake in these interventions/initiatives and how these activities align with nurses' scope of practice.Design: A scoping review.Data Sources: Three health databases were searched, and backward and forward citation searching occurred in April 2022. Research and quality improvement initiatives included focussed on adult patients undergoing colorectal surgery, from 2010 onwards. Data were extracted about study characteristics, nursing activities and outcomes. The 'Dimensions of the scope of nursing practice' framework was used to classify nursing activities and then the Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence for practice and Research recommendations framework was used to synthesise the review findings.Results: Thirty-seven studies were included. These studies often reported negative wound pressure therapy and surgical site infection bundle interventions/initiatives. Nurses' scope of practice was most frequently 'Technical procedure and delegated medical care' meaning nurses frequently acted under doctors' orders, with the most common delegated activity being dressing removal.Conclusion: The full extent of possible interventions nurses could undertake independently in the postoperative period requires further exploration to improve wound outcomes and capitalise on nurses' professional role.

Automated summary

This scoping review investigates the use of postoperative interventions and quality improvement initiatives to prevent wound complications in colorectal surgery patients. It examines the activities undertaken by nurses in these interventions/initiatives and their alignment with nurses' scope of practice. The findings indicate that nurses frequently act under doctors' orders, with dressing removal being the most common delegated activity. Further exploration is needed to identify independent interventions nurses could undertake in the postoperative period to improve wound outcomes and maximize their professional role.