Improving Antibiotic Administration Rate for Patients With Sepsis in the Emergency Department

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Delayed antibiotic administration in sepsis is linked to increased mortality.
• Early sepsis management is critical for patient outcomes.
• Current emergency department sepsis protocols require optimization for timely antibiotic delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a nurse-initiated educational intervention on early antibiotic administration rates for suspected sepsis.
• To improve the detection and management of sepsis in the emergency department setting.

Main Methods:

• An educational intervention targeting nursing staff was implemented, including training and feedback.
• Antibiotic administration rates within 1, 3, and 6 hours were compared before and after the intervention.
• Time to initial antibiotic administration was analyzed.

Main Results:

• Antibiotic administration rates significantly improved post-intervention (1-hour: 5.2% to 15.6%; 3-hour: 35.6% to 49.7%; 6-hour: 74.1% to 89.1%).
• The mean time to antibiotic administration decreased from 229 to 185 minutes.
• Statistical significance was achieved for all measured improvements (P < .05).

Conclusions:

• Nurse-initiated quality improvement programs are effective in enhancing early antibiotic administration for sepsis.
• Timely antibiotic delivery is crucial for sepsis management and potentially reduces mortality.
• Educational interventions can successfully optimize sepsis care protocols in emergency departments.