| Description |
According to the Global Sepsis Alliance (2012) sepsis is a medical emergency and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Sepsis and its associated syndromes are common and associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in the general population (Rivers et al., 2001). In 2006, Martin, Mannino & Moss wrote that it was the leading cause of death in non-coronary intensive care units and the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States. Data from recent surveys indicates that a significant knowledge deficit about sepsis exists among healthcare providers and the general worldwide. In a 2012 study of barriers to early detection and treatment of severe sepsis in a large urban emergency department in the United States, Burney et al. found that twenty-eight percent of physicians and eighty-six percent of nurses reported they were unfamiliar with SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) a sometime pre-cursor of sepsis. Burney et al. (2012) stated that the most commonly cited barriers by emergency room staff to early treatment were missed identification in triage by nurses and delay in diagnosis by physicians. In a survey of United States pre-hospital providers' knowledge of sepsis and treatment, researchers found that less than ten percent of emergency medical providers were able to correctly complete four clinical scenarios about sepsis (Baez, Hanudel, Perez, Giraldez & Wilcox, 2013). Earlier studies have concluded that physician and nursing staff do not have sufficient education to recognize and treat sepsis in the recommend time frame (Assuncao, 2010; Poeze, Ramsay, Gerlach, Rubulotta, & Levy, 2004; Robson, Beavis & Spittle, 2007). An international survey conducted between December 2002 and January 2003 of the public's perception and awareness of sepsis found that an estimated 88% of people in the United States and Western Europe had never heard of the term, "sepsis" (Rubulotta et al., 2009). In 2010, the Feinstein Institute-sponsored survey of 1,000 Americans found that 60% of the participants were unfamiliar with the term "sepsis". The majority of respondents who have never heard of sepsis were men, seniors, and African Americans, all of who are at greater risk for sepsis (Feinstein Institute, 2010). In order to combat mortality and morbidity from sepsis, the general public needs to become educated about sepsis. The goal of this project was completion of a patient and family friendly educational resource about sepsis that was engaging, easy to read, and provided relevant information. The guide was written for all audiences and its electronic format allows it to easily translated and modified for all cultures. Wide distribution of the guide was accomplished through use of social media, web publishing, and mailings. By the completion of the project the guide had been read by individuals in twenty-two countries and had been translated into fifteen languages. When patients and families have the knowledge to prevent, recognize, and seek early treatment for sepsis, they can truly partner with healthcare providers to improve sepsis survival. |
