Abstract
Background Sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s abnormal response to infection presents a clinical challenge requiring prompt recognition and treatment.1 Many oncology patients with weakened immune systems and other health issues may not show obvious signs of sepsis, leading to delays in care. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the excitement of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022TM, our sepsis team remained resilient and committed to improving patient safety.2 We aimed to improve patient safety through early sepsis recognition and management from 0% in December 2017 to 95% by the end of December 2022.
Methods We followed the Insititute for Healthcare Improvement Model for Improvement, testing changes via Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. The sepsis team established measurement frameworks, gathered local data on bundle compliance, and devised a Quality Improvement dashboard for monitoring. Implemented changes, such as the Sepsis Screening Tool, Laboratory Kit, Custom Order Set, E-Learning, Point of care blood gases machine, Unit Champions, Rewards, Weekly Reports, Coaching, and Technology, enhanced compliance. Figure 1 illustrates our bundle compliance from 2018 to 2022.
Results Our Sepsis team achieved 100%, sustaining this despite challenges like COVID-19 and the FIFA World Cup 2022TM. Team commitment and communication were vital. Standardized sepsis recognition and management improved patient outcomes. Our developed screening tool was replicated in other Hamad Medical Corporation hospitals. Figures 1 and 2 show improvements in each of 6 elements of sepsis bundle over the project implementation.
Conclusion Our collaborative effort to achieve and sustain our 100% goal was challenging but rewarding. Key lessons from our change tests include timely information sharing, continuous follow-up with frontline staff, and teamwork. Effective communication and staff empowerment were crucial in overcoming obstacles.
Compliance of our facility to the sepsis six bundle between 2018 and 2022
Hospital compliance to the sepsis six bundle elements from 2018 to 2022
References
Singer M, Deutschland CS, Seymour CW, et al. The third international consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock (sepsis- 3). JAMA. 2016;315(8):801–810. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.028
Shehatta AL, Naimi NA, Hassan R, Zafar N. A strategic guide for the development of a corporate sepsis program. Journal of Emergency Medicine, Trauma & Acute Care 2021;36. http://dx.doi.org/jemtac.2021.qhc.36
Ethical Approval/IRB Statement This is a quality improvement project approved by the hospital leadership to improve the care of our patients
Disclosures and Acknowledgments No conflict of interest.
We acknowledge the Sepsis Team and the Leadership team, at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research, Doha, Qatar.
