Date of Conferral

12-10-2025

Date of Award

December 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Barbara Gross

Abstract

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project implemented a staff education initiative to enhance perioperative nursing adherence to evidence-based practices for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs). SSIs remain among the most prevalent healthcare-associated infections, affecting 2%–5% of surgical patients and contributing to extended hospital stays, higher costs, and preventable morbidity. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: In adult surgical patients, how does the implementation of a perioperative nursing education program on SSI prevention, compared to standard practice, affect SSI incidence rates over a 2- to 4-month period? The project applied the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) model to guide literature review and decision-making and the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) framework to structure educational design and evaluation. Ten perioperative registered nurses participated in the intervention, which consisted of interactive PowerPoint sessions, competency demonstrations, audit feedback, and staff confidence surveys. Data were collected using validated pre- and post-knowledge assessments, competency checklists, and infection-control audits. Following the intervention, perioperative nurses demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, competency, and confidence in SSI prevention. Knowledge scores increased from 65% to 90%, competency validation improved from 60% to 100%, and staff confidence rose from 50% to 90%. Most importantly, SSI incidence decreased by 50% during the 2- to 4-month evaluation period. These findings confirm that structured, nurse-led education programs can effectively improve adherence to SSI prevention protocols and patient safety outcomes. The initiative positively impacted the organization by strengthening compliance with accreditation standards and reducing preventable harm. Recommendations include expanding the education program to additional perioperative units, integrating it into annual competency training, and maintaining compliance through real-time audit feedback. This project underscores the critical role of advanced practice nurses in translating evidence into practice, fostering interprofessional collaboration, and advancing social change through equitable, standardized infection-prevention strategies.

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