Antibiotic Use in Interventional Radiology: A Nursing Perspective

Bacteria can produce illness and result in debilitating disease and death. Normal residential flora that inhabit the body surface may have access to body organs and systems through interventional radiology procedures. Antibiotics may be given in an effort to reduce potential infectious processes. Nursing management should include self-awareness, knowledge of procedures and complications, patient and family education, and management of the environment. It is important for nurses to be intrinsically knowledgeable and play a significant part of infection prevention for patients undergoing invasive procedures.