Surgical Stewardship: The Prevention of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs)

This presentation outlines key evidence-based strategies that healthcare organizations should prioritize when implementing national and global guidelines for surgical site infection (SSI) prevention in surgery. It emphasizes the critical role of adhering to core infection prevention protocols and explores essential elements of successful SSI reduction programs.

The session highlights the value of staff education, interdisciplinary teamwork, effective communication, and proper wound-care practices. It also reviews the best practices for antimicrobial prophylaxis, including optimal timing of administration. In addition, it presents a process for monitoring and reporting SSIs and underscores the importance of continuously evaluating and adjusting infection prevention strategies as needed.

Participants will gain practical tools to help translate published SSI guidelines into daily clinical practice, with a focus on improving outcomes in surgery.

Speakers:

Maureen Spencer, M.Ed. BSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC​ has been board certified in infection control for over 40 years and is an Independent Infection Preventionist Consultant. She serves as a consultant at For Health Consulting, University of Massachusetts Medical School. She was recently the Manager, Infection Control Unit at New England Baptist Hospital (NEBH) in Boston and prior to that was the Director, Infection Control Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital.

She has a bachelor's in nursing from Northeastern University and a Master of Education from Bridgewater State University. Maureen was president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control - New England Chapter (APIC-NE Chapter) in 1981 and served on many local and national APIC committees. She was a contributing author in the APIC Curriculum and in 1990 she was awarded the APIC National Carole DeMille Award for her contribution to APIC.  

​In recognition of her work in establishing an MRSA and MSSA Eradication program at NEBH she was selected as one of the APIC Heroes in Infection Control in 2007.  Her contributions to the field were also recognized in 2012 as one of the Who’s Who in Infection Prevention. Maureen has presented numerous abstracts and lectures and has published over 55 peer-reviewed articles and chapters related to infection control, including a contributing author in Comprehensive Perioperative Nursing Textbook and 7th Edition of Brachman and Bennett's Hospital Infection Control 2023.

Peter B. Graves, BSN, RN, CNOR, is a well-known independent perioperative nurse consultant with a deep passion for surgical infection prevention and evidence-based best practices education and research. With more than 35 years of nursing experience, Peter has established himself as a leading authority in his field. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is a certified operating room nurse (CNOR). Peter has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals, authored and co-authored chapters in prominent textbooks, and presented topics such as infection control, latex allergy, and patient and staff safety.

Peter has spoken at numerous conferences worldwide, including more than twenty times at the AORN Expo and Congress, ANCC Magnet Hospital conference, and American Nurses Association. As an active member of AORN, he has chaired and was a member of several national committees. Peter served seven years on the AORN Recommended Practices committee and was the lead author of several of the AORN guidelines. He was elected and served on the AORN national board of directors. Peter currently serves on the AORN Journal’s review panel. In addition to his professional work with AORN, Peter was the founding director and served as the Secretary / Treasurer of the CCI Research Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding perioperative nursing research. He was recently honored by receiving the Excellence in Volunteerism award from CCI in 2024 for his commitment to perioperative nursing research.

Peter's dedication to advancing perioperative nursing through education, research, and advocacy has made a significant impact on the field, inspiring many colleagues and future nurses. Today, you can find Peter working on evidence-based educational programs, surgical infection prevention research. He can also be found wearing scrubs inside an operating room helping assess the operating room’s current practices and procedures around infection control and prevention.

Angela Tecson, RN, BScN, MStat, leads Surgical Safety and Physician Partnership within Clinical Quality and Patient Safety. With over sixteen years of experience in Quality Improvement (QI) activities, Angela, whose clinical background is in surgical nursing, plays a pivotal role in leading the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) and supporting Physician Quality Leaders at Fraser Health.

Angela holds a Master's in Medical Statistics, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma, and has earned an Improvement Advisor certification from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Angela serves as a professor for the Quantitative Methods in the Master of Science in Nursing program at Trinity Western University and is a valued member of the Health Sciences Program Advisory Committee at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Angela's professional interests span data analysis and visualization, surgical outcomes, building capacity and capability in QI, physician engagement, and healthcare equity.

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