GradStart Nurses' Survival Guide

The Sepsis Clinical Care Standard contains seven quality statements and a set of indicators to ensure sepsis is recognised early and patients receive coordinated, best-practice care to reduce the risk of death or ongoing morbidity.

Sepsis is the immune system's response to an infection which causes the body to attack its own tissues and organs. It can occur in response to any bacterial, viral or fungal infection acquired in a community or healthcare setting. If sepsis is not treated quickly, it can lead to organ failure and death. The aim of the SEPSIS KILLS program is to improve recognition and treatment and reduce preventable harm to patients with sepsis.

The adult, maternal, neonatal and paediatric sepsis pathways support clinicians to identify sepsis risk factors, signs and symptoms, escalate to a senior clinician and commence treatment rapidly. They align with the Between the Flags (BTF) Standard Observation Charts and are integral to the NSW Deteriorating Patient Safety Net System. They were revised in February 2024.

Sepsis and septic shock are characterised by life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an abnormal response to infection. Septic shock is a subset of sepsis associated with profound circulatory, cellular and metabolic abnormalities. The risk of mortality is high for both conditions, but is increased in septic shock compared to sepsis. Prompt recognition and treatment of these syndromes is vital, because appropriate resuscitation, organ support and rapid initiation of antibiotic therapy reduces mortality