What you need to know about Sepsis as a Nurse!

Sepsis causes the deaths of normally 5 per hour in the UK and an exceptionally large number worldwide. Sepsis is still one of the many diseases that can kill an overall healthy adult within hours. Our specialised trained nurses here at Secure Healthcare Solutions are well trained in all aspects of care and can provide a tailored service of care to you or your loved ones.

The key symptoms are confusing such as not passing urine as normal, they have temperatures either high or low; shivering uncontrollably and having the sweats; cold/blotched legs and arms. When faced with symptoms like these, becoming worse, a set of observations should be taken promptly.

Some of these symptoms can indicate shock and organ failure due to sepsis.

There are 2 significant factors of shock that can develop when you get sepsis:

Cold Shock

• Cardiac output decreases due to sepsis-included dysfunctions the heart and the cardiovascular system
• Initial constriction of small blood vessels may cause falsely reassuring normal blood pressure (it’ll be known in the fast heart rate)
• Dropping in blood pressure
• Your skin becomes blotchy/clammy and cold
• The low cardiac input and result into the patient going into cardiac arrest

Warm Shock

• Skin flushes due to sepsis-included dilation (small blood vessels)
• Increases heart rate which maintains the increased cardiac output
• Blood pressure will normally rise
• Hypotensive cardiac arrest

Young children and infants and elderly people may have a non-specific symptom of sepsis which can be hard to diagnose but are rapidly progressive, with a high risk of death. Babies and young children can often show an advance state of shock. Patients or service users with known infections such as chest infections etc or risk factors due to underlying conditions are particularly vulnerable. 

Risk assessment and good basic observations are the best way to find out if the patient has sepsis or if they just have a simple infection. If the patient or service user looks seriously ill, consider sepsis, and report a review to be held with clinical team. 

Health professionals should retain they key symptoms, ensure early diagnosis, effective communication, and quick and simple treatments so that patients’ chances of survival increase.

Secure Healthcare Solutions will be able to provide top quality care to you or your family members. We have complex trained nurses based around Northampton, Nottingham, Leeds, Coventry, Manchester, Worcester, Peterborough, Hereford, Northampton. 

Our specialised trained nurses will be able to accommodate your in-home care whether its 24-hour support to a few hours a day. Secure Healthcare Solutions can provide it for you.

To find out how we could support you click the link below:

https://securehealthcaresolutions.co.uk/