Final answer:
Common nursing diagnoses for patients with or at risk of infection include nosocomial infections and iatrogenic diseases, with conditions like catheter-associated infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria being significant concerns. Effective treatment can be complicated by biofilm formation or improper initial treatment selection.
Step-by-step explanation:
Common nursing diagnoses relevant to patients at risk of or with an actual infection involve several considerations. These include nosocomial infections, which occur within a hospital setting due to pathogens transmitted via various contaminated surfaces and medical equipment. Likewise, iatrogenic diseases occur from the result of a medical procedure, often when the surgical site becomes contaminated, leading to conditions like necrotizing fasciitis. Additionally, infections can arise from catheters and similar devices.
Infections may also be due to opportunistic pathogens that exploit compromised immune systems in the hospital environment. Patients can be susceptible to viral, fungal, or antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, which require different treatment approaches. A comprehensive nursing diagnosis for a patient with an infection might include Risk for Infection due to compromised health status, Impaired Skin Integrity related to invasive devices like catheters, and Ineffective Therapeutic Regimen Management if the present treatment fails to address the infection.
Despite the initial success of treatments like antimicrobial chemotherapy, infections can recur due to several factors such as the formation of biofilms on catheters, which protect the bacteria from treatment, or from continued exposure to the source of infection. In such cases, removing the source of infection and selecting an appropriate treatment based on susceptibility tests are key.