Date of Graduation

Spring 5-18-2023

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Dr. Robert Patterson

Abstract

Problem: A sepsis protocol and bundle has been implemented in an urban Emergency Department to help screen patients and treat sepsis efficiently and effectively. The benchmarks from the bundle are not being met consistently every month and are below the targeted 90%.

Context: A microsystem assessment and a gap survey sent out to nurses, helped determine that there is room to improve nurses’ knowledge and confidence about sepsis and the sepsis bundle workflow. Sepsis is one of the most expensive and burdensome conditions in U.S. hospitals. Literature supports staff education to improve sepsis bundle compliance.

Intervention: A video was created and was sent out via the nurse manager to all the nurses in the unit. The video is a slide deck that was recorded with a voice over, including information about signs and symptoms of sepsis and the sepsis protocol. In addition, information posted in the staff break room was updated about sepsis, the protocol, and current compliance.

Measures: Data from the first quarter of 2023 and the last quarter of 2022 was obtained for first vital to lactic acid results within 60 minutes, lactic acid results to antibiotic administration within 60 minutes, and antibiotic order to administration within 35 minutes.

Results: The Post-Intervention results have not been obtained for this project due to time constraint. The recommendation is to obtain and analyze the 2023 second quarter data, and then compare it to the 2023 first quarter data and the 2022 last quarter data to determine if the benchmarks have been met consistently by 90% for each month in the 2023 second quarter.

Conclusions: Providing nurses with the knowledge to help identify sepsis rapidly, as well as becoming more familiar with the sepsis protocol, helps them confidently enact the bundle. Second quarter data will evaluate if this project has improved the workflow and has saved time.

Included in

Other Nursing Commons

Share

COinS