Nurses' Knowledge Regarding Nursing Surveillance of the Septic Patient

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Nursing
• Sepsis Management
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Sepsis is a leading cause of death in the US, necessitating timely intervention.
• The sepsis bundle and nursing surveillance are critical for preventing organ failure.
• Effective sepsis care relies on informed and vigilant nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' knowledge of nursing surveillance for sepsis patients.
• To identify barriers to implementing sepsis surveillance and the sepsis bundle.
• To understand nurses' perceptions of sepsis care challenges.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study design.
• Focus group interviews with 28 registered nurses.
• Participants had at least 6 months of experience with sepsis patients.

Main Results:

• Key themes included knowledge deficits regarding the sepsis bundle and nursing surveillance.
• Nurses reported feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, and lacking resources.
• Barriers also included poor communication and lack of professional respect.
• Unique findings involved fear of sepsis patients and knowledge gaps.

Conclusions:

• Findings underscore the critical need for enhanced nursing surveillance in sepsis care.
• Increased attention to nurse education on sepsis protocols is recommended.
• Addressing identified barriers can improve patient outcomes in sepsis management.