title: Identifying and evaluating wound infection.
abstract: Wound infection is a serious problem in the home care patient. Early detection of infection, prompt treatment, and continuous surveillance are pivotal to elimination of the infection and prevention of complications. This article addresses identification of wound infection in postsurgical and chronic wounds based on data obtained from the patient's history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests. Appreciating the overt and subtle signs and symptoms of wound infection and acting on them is critical to timely diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California San Francisco 94143-0610, USA.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Stotts
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Whitney
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*