It’s the FINAL Week of Sepsis Awareness Month!

September is Sepsis Awareness Month

In case you missed the Sepsis Awareness Month week three email on monitoring and data collection, click here.

Raise Awareness about Sepsis in Your Facility this Month!

Each week, Telligen will provide interventions, tips and resources to protect your residents.

Family and Staff Education

A coordinated approach to sepsis education for both staff and families is essential for prevention, early recognition and effective management in nursing homes. Combining efforts from both family members and nursing home staff can significantly enhance outcomes.

Healthcare workers must be equipped with the knowledge to prevent, recognize and respond to sepsis as a medical emergency and ACT FAST. Key focus areas should include:

Infection Prevention: Emphasize proper hand hygiene, wound care, urinary catheter management and antibiotic stewardship to prevent infections that may lead to sepsis.
Understanding Sepsis: Ensure staff comprehend the progression from sepsis to severe sepsis and septic shock, highlighting the risk of organ dysfunction and failure if untreated.
Recognizing Symptoms: Teach staff to identify early signs of sepsis, such as fever, increased heart rate and rapid breathing. They should also be trained to recognize atypical presentations in the elderly, such as confusion, lethargy or decreased mobility.
Sepsis Protocols: Implement clear facility policies that provide nursing staff with protocols for screening, monitoring early infection indicators, assessing for history of sepsis and responding to sepsis as a medical emergency.

For more information on sepsis symptoms and early recognition, click here.

Families are an integral part of the care process. Staff should help families understand their loved ones’ condition, treatment plan and how to recognize and respond to sepsis. Family education ought to include:

What is Sepsis? Explain that sepsis is the body’s extreme response to infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death if not treated promptly.
Recognizing Symptoms: Provide a simple, non-medical explanation of sepsis symptoms, such as fever, extreme discomfort, confusion, rapid heartbeat and cold, clammy skin.
Infection Prevention: Teach families to help prevent infections by maintaining good hygiene, keeping wounds clean and ensuring vaccinations are up to date.
Seek Immediate Medical Care: Empower families to play an active role by ACTING FAST. If they suspect sepsis, informing nursing staff immediately and advocating for timely medical attention.
Long-term Effects: Provide information on potential long-term effects of surviving sepsis such as fatigue, cognitive difficulties and the need for ongoing medical follow-up.

Effective prevention and management of sepsis requires teamwork and open communication between nursing home staff and families. By making families an active part of the care process, nursing homes can improve outcomes for residents at risk of sepsis.

STORYBOARD CHALLENGE

Don’t miss out on Telligen’s Sepsis Awareness Month storyboard poster challenge! Showcase your facility’s awareness activities based on the topics shared throughout this email series, including best practices to reduce sepsis. This week, include training materials used for staff and families, or feature photos of staff engaging in training events into your storyboard.

We challenge you to submit a photo of your poster* before Wednesday, September 25. All storyboard posters will be displayed on the Telligen website and winners will be recognized on our website and in Telligen QI Connect™ emails.

For more information on creating a storyboard poster click here.

CALL TO ACTION

1. Provide in-service training to all staff on sepsis and consider using Telligen’s “Sepsis Prevention” 32-minute video for your staff training

2. Develop guidelines for resident and family education on sepsis

a. Include Telligen's family and resident sepsis video, Knowledge is Power: Let's Talk About Sepsis in your next resident council meeting and consider incorporating into your guidelines

b. Provide resident and family training for any resident admitted with or who is at high risk for sepsis

c. Develop a sepsis support group for your facility

d. Identify and share with families/residents a process for addressing common questions and concerns

RESOURCES

Resident/Family Resources

Nursing Home Staff Resources

This material was prepared by Telligen, the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of CMS or HHS, and any reference to a specific product or entity herein does not constitute endorsement of that product or entity by CMS or HHS. This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice; it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. 12SOW-QIN-09/23/24-5463