High Acuity Care: Sepsis and the Nurse's Role in Detecting and Managing It

Sepsis
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a. Describe the Clinical Problem or Issue
During sepsis, a patient’s immunity goes into overdrive, leading to a life-threatening condition where the body attacks its own tissues and organs. It is caused when the body releases chemicals to combat infection, which in turn causes inflammation leading to blood clots (National Institute of general medical sciences, n.d.). This infection occurs in the bloodstream and is usually challenging to detect. Three out of the four responses to systematic inflammation may be diminished in adults than children, making it difficult to act on time (Umberger et al., 2015). The transition from a mild infection to severe septic shock can occur in hours.
b. State a Purpose
The role of nurses in detecting the onset of sepsis is important by keen observations of the physiological changes in the patient that could indicate the onset of sepsis. A nurse with knowledge on sepsis screening and who applies the clinical guidelines using the correct screening tools will prevent patient mortality. 
c. Review the Standards of Care
Since sepsis is an infection of the bloodstream, the inflammation may spread to other organs far from the area of injury, including the lungs and skin. Adults over 60 years are most likely to suffer from a sepsis shock (Englert & Ross, 2015). The area of care is in intravenous fluids, antibiotics, blood culture, lactate, oxygen, and urine output. The main symptoms include abnormalities in the heart rate, temperature, and leukocyte counts. Early treatment in adults includes supplementary oxygen and respiratory stabilization. The antibiotics will fight a broad range of bacteria and are applied intravenously. The intravenous fluids keep the blood pressure from dropping, preventing shock and keeps organs functioning. 
d. Overview of the Essential Nursing Interventions Pertaining to the Issue
The nurse administers the medications described and the IV fluids to the patient. The nurse must also monitor the patient taking note of the antibiotic toxic level, creatinine, platelet levels, and study the coagulation of the patient’s blood. The highest morbidity with sepsis patients was as a result of underlying issues and depended on the t...