Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Medical-Surgical Nursing

Introduction

Medical-Surgical NursingIntroduction
Figure 22.1 Two health-care professionals treat a patient with COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for preparedness and knowledge about effectively treating worldwide infections. (credit: “U.S. Navy Doctors, Nurses and Corpsmen Treat COVID Patients in the ICU Aboard USNS Comfort” by Navy Medicine / Flickr, Public Domain)

Chapter Outline

Introduction

Infections are one of leading causes of death and disability globally, with more than 7.7 million deaths in 2019 from bacterial pathogens alone (GBD 2019 Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators, 2022). The total number of deaths that year from fatal infections was even higher, given that infections can also be caused by viruses, parasites, and fungi. During the COVID-19 pandemic, which started in 2019, we saw firsthand the destruction that widespread infections can cause both to human life and the economy. Additionally, we are starting to see the development of “superbugs” that are resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics, making it even more difficult to effectively treat infections. Nurses are on the frontlines of these battles, which highlights the need for knowledge regarding the causes of and treatments for various infections.

PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/medical-surgical-nursing/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/medical-surgical-nursing/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Jul 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.