Sepsis issue essay
Abstract
Sepsis is a serious health problem that arises when the body has a high immune response to an infection. As the body produces immune compounds to fight the disease, the compounds trigger inflammation resulting in blood clots, organ damage, low blood pressure, and heart problems. Sepsis poses a significant challenge making it a leading cause of death. As such, there is a need for medical providers to consider various approaches to reduce postoperative sepsis, especially after surgery. The purpose of the study is to examine the issue of sepsis and investigate its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment to promote safe clinical care. The research also seeks to make it evident that sepsis is a treatable medical condition. Furthermore, it explores various prevention levels to enable nurses to help their patients overcome this problem. This study introduces appropriate solutions to the problem of sepsis. The research also advances the essentials of a Master’s in nursing education by providing information that will enable nurses to exercise their leadership abilities when battling sepsis. The study used a descriptive model for over ten months at the Miami Cancer Center. Nineteen patients, aged between 19 and 88 years, undergoing elective major surgery participated in the study, categorized under the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected prospectively for each patient by evaluating the Charlson co-morbidity index and the APACHE II. The results of the APACHE II and Charlson scores showed the development of sepsis. The research identified that 60% of the participants developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) postoperatively, while 30 percent of them developed sepsis postoperatively. The leading sources of sepsis among the participants were the abdomen and lungs, with few cases from the urinary tract and kidney. The research also found that patients who spend more time in surgery have a higher probability of developing sepsis postoperatively. The study also established that clinicians should consider adaptable and flexible designs when implementing sepsis treatment. Effective use of preoperative, inter-operative, and postoperative approaches by clinicians helps in reducing the probability of patients developing sepsis.
Conclusion
Patients who undergo surgery are vulnerable to various health issues that arise after a surgical procedure. Sepsis is a serious medical condition that occurs when the body produces immune chemicals to fight diseases. The chemicals then respond, resulting in blood clots and organ damage. The health condition is associated with high mortality and long-term morbidity. Since sepsis is a universal health concern and a major challenge in the healthcare sector, nurses need to understand the best approaches for its diagnosis and treatment. Understanding sepsis and the identification of patients helps in reducing unplanned admissions and enhance cost-effectiveness. A significant proportion of patients undergoing surgery develop sepsis, with the major sources being the abdomen and lungs. Moreover, patients who spend more time in surgery, an average of about seven hours are highly likely to develop sepsis postoperatively. Apart from the duration of surgery, other factors contributing to septic conditions include the type of surgery, age of the patient, income level, gender, and race. Since stakeholders have raised concerns over the severity of sepsis, the paper offers various recommendations. The recommendations include the use of preoperative, inter-operative, and postoperative approaches. The approaches include reducing the duration of surgery, preventing hospital-acquired infections, minimizing effects of bacteremia, and administering prophylactic antibiotics correctly and as indicated. Successful implementation of these approaches helps in reducing the likelihood of patients developing sepsis postoperatively.