Reducing Sepsis Deaths: A Systems Approach To Early Detection And Management

Overview

At hospitals across the country, sepsis education is increasing, and more clinicians are using a systems approach for early sepsis identification and timely evidence-based interventions for patients with suspected or known sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock. These sweeping changes stem largely from the work of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) and hospitals’ commitment to reduce unacceptably high sepsis-related deaths. A collaboration of expert clinicians from critical care professional organizations, SSC aims to reduce sepsis-related deaths worldwide through awareness building, clinician education, development of diagnostic and management guidelines, and performance improvement programs. This course presents an overview of sepsis, reviews recommendations from SSC’s updated guidelines for managing severe sepsis and septic shock, and describes one hospital’s approach to early detection and management in reducing sepsis-related deaths.

Key Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the continuum of sepsis.
2. Discuss how to manage sepsis.
3. Describe the elements of a sepsis initiative.

Presented By

Hildy Schell-Chaple, MS, RN, CCRN, CCNS, FAAN
Melissa Lee, MS, RN, CNS-BC
The presenters work at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center. Hildy Schell-Chaple is a clinical nurse specialist in adult critical care and an associate clinical professor in the department of physiological nursing at the School of Nursing. Melissa Lee is a clinical nurse specialist in adult acute care.