Incision and Drainage of Acute Paronychia in the Emergency Department

Paronychia is a common emergency department presentation, representing up to 35% of hand infections. Standard of care involves incision and drainage, with systemic antibiotic therapy dependent upon the severity of the presentation. The treating emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) should consider factors that may impact wound healing, medications, comorbidities, and perform a thorough history and physical examination to properly address this common infection. This article describes a case of a 43-year-old female with about four weeks of gradually developing paronychia that presented to a community emergency department (ED) for treatment. This article will review the patient's case, including history and management to increase the skills of Emergency Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.