Date on Honors Thesis

Spring 4-24-2025

Major

Nursing

Abstract/Description

Surgical site infections (SSIs) significantly impact surgical patients, and one contributor to their development is the hair removal method; education about surgical hair removal methods is minimal in continued educational programs. This project aimed to provide an educational program that discussed hair removal methods to reduce surgical site infections. The staff was educated on methods for hair removal in surgical patients, recommendations from manufacturers of the product, hospital policies regarding hair removal, and governing organizational guidelines. Over two days for a 10-hour shift each day, a poster board and a 15-30-minute presentation, then a pre-/post-test was used to deliver and evaluate the project. Participants completed the pre-test, listened to and viewed the education program, and then completed the post-test.

The project resulted in 24 participants from the surgical department. The average score for the pretest was 4.17 out of 6 possible points, and the median was 4/6 points, ranging from 2-5 points. The average score for the posttest was 5.63, making an overall increase of 1.46 points compared to the pretest. The median of the posttest was 6/6, with a range of 4 to 6 points. The project found that implementing the education program effectively increased participants’ knowledge of target objectives regarding surgical hair removal. The educational program was limited in nature, as it reviewed only one major area of perioperative nursing. It is recommended that more in-depth training is necessary for both old and new perioperative nurses to stay abreast of the latest recommendations and guidelines.

Keywords: surgical site infections, surgical hair removal, hair removal methods, perioperative nursing

Additional Files
2025_Poster Presentation- SP25-MS.pptx (371 kB)
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