Date Available
5-4-2016
Year of Publication
2016
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Advisor
Dr. Nora Warshawsky
Committee Member
Dr. Melanie Hardin-Pierce
Co-Director of Graduate Studies
Dr. Terry Altpeter
Abstract
Sepsis syndromes that develop among a hospital inpatient population can be difficult to differentiate from other disease processes that share systemic inflammatory response syndromes. A bedside nurse-driven screening process was developed at Baptist Health Lexington to aid with early sepsis identification and foster prompt goal-directed therapy. This retrospective study of 26 patients identified over a 6 month period measures intensive care length of stay, mortality, and sepsis severity. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy and Do Not Resuscitate orders.
Screening compliance was poor at 23.1 percent (n=6). Complete compliance with goal directed therapy was 7.7 percent, though some components of therapy such as antibiotic administration (n=15, 57.5%) and blood culture acquisition (n = 15, 57.7 %) were much higher. Mortality decreased from 25% to 0%, but this was irrespective of if the patients were screened or not. Average intensive care length of stay decreased by 1.04 days. There was an reduction in sepsis severity ratios.
Recommended Citation
Welker, Nicholas James, "Improving the Identification, Delivery of Care, and Outcomes of Hospital-Acquired Sepsis" (2016). DNP Projects. 85.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/dnp_etds/85
