Assignment Task:
Reply from Shivani Patel
Area of Interest NP
In an acute care setting, a major issue to consider would be early identification and management of sepsis in hospitalized patients. Sepsis is a life threatening condition due to the body's response to an infection where tissue damage, organ failure or death may be caused. Timely identification and treatment is critical to improving patient outcomes, whereas delayed intervention can lead to rapid deterioration and death.
One practice change that can be implemented is a standardized sepsis screening tool and protocol within the acute care setting. This tool should be used by nurses to assess patient's at risk for infection. The protocol should include early signs and criteria for rapid response team activation, and guidelines for treatment such as fluid resuscitation and administering antibiotics.
A review of the literature indicates that the use of standardized sepsis protocols significantly reduces mortality rates and improves patient outcomes. For example, a study by Seymour et al. (2017) demonstrated that implementing a sepsis protocol, including early screening and treatment, reduced in-hospital mortality among septic patients. Another study by Evans et al. (2021) highlighted the importance of nurse-led early detection and intervention in reducing sepsis-related complications and improving overall patient outcomes.
By integrating a standardized sepsis screening tool and protocol into acute care practice, nurse practitioners can contribute to earlier identification and management of sepsis, thus reducing mortality and improving patient outcomes in a critical care setting.
References:
Evans, L., Rhodes, A., Alhazzani, W., Antonelli, M., Coopersmith, C. M., French, C., ... & Levy, M. M. (2021). Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International guidelines for management of sepsis and septic shock 2021. Intensive Care Medicine, 47(11), 1181-1247.
Seymour, C. W., Gesten, F., Prescott, H. C., Friedrich, M. E., Iwashyna, T. J., Phillips, G. S., ... & Angus, D. C. (2017). Time to treatment and mortality during mandated emergency care for sepsis. The New England Journal of Medicine, 376(23), 2235-2244.