Sepsis and the Deteriorating Patient

Who this course is for

U.S. licensed health professionals: physicians and residents, PAs, nurse practitioners and other APRNs, RNs and LPN/LVNs, pharmacists, dentists and dental hygienists, paramedics and allied health professionals.

Course details

Learning time

Approximately 3 hours (estimated learning time including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)

Standards covered

CDC Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements; CMS SEP-1 Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: Management Bundle (CBE #0500, formerly NQF #0500), Hospital IQR and Hospital VBP programs; The Joint Commission hospital requirements on recognizing and responding to changes in a patient's condition; 42 CFR 482.42; Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2021 adult and 2020 pediatric guidelines; Sepsis-3 and Phoenix Sepsis Criteria; New York 10 NYCRR 405.4 (Rory's Regulations) and 405.7 (Parents' Bill of Rights); AHRQ TeamSTEPPS; state practice acts and board standards

Format

Self-paced, gated lessons with knowledge checks, case studies and reflection

Assessment

20 scenario-based questions, 80% to pass (16 of 20)

Outcome

Certificate of completion and a written reflection for your learning record

Alignment

Mapped to CDC, CMS and Joint Commission expectations, Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidance, New York sepsis regulations and the standards of practice applied by state boards; education, not board-approved

1. 1Sepsis in the United States: definitions, burden and framework3 lessons

   • What sepsis is, and the language U.S. clinicians use
   • The scale of sepsis in the United States and who is at risk
   • The U.S. framework: CDC, CMS, The Joint Commission, states and boards
2. 2Recognizing deterioration and sepsis early3 lessons

   • How deterioration looks: the vital signs and the subtle signs
   • Screening tools, early warning scores and electronic alerts
   • High-risk groups and atypical presentations
3. 3The first hours: bundles, guidelines and evidence4 lessons

   • Time zero and the SEP-1 bundle
   • What the Surviving Sepsis Campaign recommends
   • The evidence on timing, and the risks of getting it wrong in either direction
   • After the first hours: reassessment, de-escalation and recovery
4. 4Escalation and rapid response3 lessons

   • Rapid response systems: how hospitals are designed to catch deterioration
   • Escalating a septic patient: clear calls, read-back and the chain of command
   • Patients and families who say "something is wrong"
5. 5Sepsis across settings and professions4 lessons

   • Emergency departments and prehospital care
   • Inpatient units, post-operative care and nursing facilities
   • Outpatient, dental, telehealth and community pharmacy
   • Pharmacists and the antimicrobial pathway
6. 6Children, pregnancy and New York's Rory's Regulations3 lessons

   • Children: recognizing pediatric sepsis
   • New York's Rory's Regulations and the Parents' Bill of Rights
   • Pregnancy and the postpartum period
7. 7Documentation, accountability and improvement3 lessons

   • Documenting deterioration and sepsis care
   • When sepsis is missed: boards, claims, disclosure and learning
   • Improving your own practice and your team's
8. 8Conclusion and key points1 lesson

   • Conclusion and key points
9. 9References and further reading1 lesson

   • References and further reading
10. 10Your reflective account1 lesson

    • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate