Dermatology prescribing update: skin infections management

Skin infections are the most common reason for dermatology consultation in primary care.¹ Recent prevalence figures for skin infections stated there are 1967 incidences of skin infections per 10,000 consultations for a skin condition in the UK.² Skin infections can be bacterial, fungal or viral. This article will focus on providing nurse prescribers with the latest evidence-based information on managing common skin infections, prescribing in primary care and preventing recurrence and spread of infection. Severe skin infections requiring hospitalisation, for example staphylococcal scaled skin syndrome (SSSS), toxic shock and Stevens-Johnson syndrome will not be discussed in this article.

Skin examination, including looking for signs and symptoms of infection, is a critical part of a holistic nursing assessment. These signs include inflammation, which may be tender or painful, with wet and crusting areas when bacterial infection may be present; scaling and macerated skin when fungal infections are present; and pain indicative of viral infections. The nurse prescriber will need to diagnose whether a skin infection is bacterial, fungal or viral (Table 1) to ensure the correct treatment is prescribed.