Date Available

5-4-2016

Year of Publication

2016

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Committee Chair

Dr. Nora Warshawsky

Clinical Mentor

Dr. Terry Altpeter

Committee Member

Dr. Melanie Hardin-Pierce

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.

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