September is Sepsis Awareness Month

Sepsis is the body’s life-threatening response to infection that affects 1.7 million people and takes 350,000 adult lives in the U.S. every year. For every hour treatment is delayed, the risk of death increases by as much as 8%. Sepsis does not only affect adults, it can have devastating consequences for children too.  Each year, approximately 75,000 children develop sepsis in the U.S. This September, take the time to know the the signs:

T =  Temperature that’s abnormal

I = Signs of an infection

M = Mental decline

E = Feeling extremely ill

Sepsis is the number 1 cost of hospitalization in the U.S., and the costs for acute sepsis hospitalization and skilled nursing are estimated to be $62 billion annually. This is only a portion of all sepsis-related costs, since there are substantial additional costs after discharge for many patients. And, sepsis is the primary cause of readmission to the hospital, costing more than $3.5 billion each year.

To learn more visit learn.sepsis.org. Download the Sepsis Awareness Month toolkit here.

You may also attend the Sepsis Alliance Summit, September 27-28, 2023. This is a free, virtual event for healthcare professionals across the continuum of care, including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, data/quality/safety professionals/IT, allied health professionals, policy makers, covering topics such as

• Sepsis as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease
• Enhancing Sepsis Care in the Emergency Department with Faster Diagnostics
• Transitions of Care for Pediatric Sepsis Survivors
• Enhancing Immune Recovery in Critically Ill Septic Patients through an ICU Survivorship Initiative
• Building a Culture of Safety Around Sepsis Care
• Using a Trauma-Informed Care Approach for Sepsis Survivors
• Immune-based Therapies in Sepsis, ARDs, and COVID-19