The Surviving Sepsis Campaign

For example, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign’s screening tool for severe sepsis is integrated into the database. However, a paper version readily accessible to nurses and clinicians in the ED triage area, the medical and surgical nursing stations, and even the ICU itself will still be practical.

Likewise, some data collectors might find that first capturing on paper the data abstracted from the chart and subsequently entering it into the database is preferable. Most users are likely to find, however, that bringing the database to the ICU on a laptop and directly entering data is the easiest solution.

The most up-to-date paper versions of the tools and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign database can be found on the Institute of Healthcare Improvement Web site. The easiest way to get to that page of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement Web site is by home page linkage from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Web site, www.survivingsepsis.org. An implementation manual is also available that will facilitate initiation of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign performance improvement program as well as installation and use of the associated electronic database.

Conclusion

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign represents an important step for international critical care societies. Recognizing the long history of delay in incorporating research into bedside care, these critical care societies have committed to working together to facilitate bench-to-bedside transfer of recent research. Thus, the campaign represents an ongoing commitment to excellence in patient care. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign has established a target of a 25% reduction in mortality worldwide from sepsis over the next five years. If the Surviving Sepsis Campaign is able to bring the guidelines into routine use, it is possible to achieve this goal. For the campaign to be successful, it will require more than good publicity. It will require a further commitment from bedside clinicians to appraise new research critically and adopt interventions proven to be effective rapidly.

Hospitalists interested in more information about instituting the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and performance improvement package in their hospital should e-mail the Surviving Sepsis Campaign user group program manager at [email protected]. TH

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