Sepsis: A Review for Home Healthcare Clinicians

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection that affects over 1.7 million people annually in the United States. Although sepsis can strike healthy and active people of all ages, those at highest risk are older adults, infants, and people with chronic illnesses or an impaired immune system. Many people who had sepsis recover and resume life as it was before. However, others require some level of postdischarge home healthcare. Up to 60% of survivors, particularly of severe sepsis and septic shock, are left with cognitive and/or physical limitations. About one-third of all sepsis survivors and more than 40% of older survivors are rehospitalized within 3 months of the initial sepsis diagnosis, most commonly due to a repeat episode of sepsis or another infection. Quality home healthcare follow-up of sepsis patients is paramount in lowering readmission rates, preventing reoccurrence of sepsis, and assisting patients and families during the postsepsis phase of healthcare.