Jacqui Jones
Healthcare Provider: Sepsis Specialist Nurse
Prior to entering the health care profession, sepsis was a word I associated with septicaemia, blood poisoning and Intensive Care.
I qualified as a nurse in 2004 and as a staff nurse I gained experience working on wards, the Cardiothoracic high dependency unit (HDU) and I spent a year working in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (ICU). I was then promoted to a ward sister and following this I attained my current post of Sepsis Specialist Nurse at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I am due to finish my Masters Degree in Advanced Clinical Practice this year (2013).
During my time as a ward sister I developed links with the Acutely Ill Patient team (AIP) within the critical care directorate. The AIP team place emphasis on improving patient safety through delivery of educational programmes. Focus is placed on prompt recognition and early intervention to significantly improve the outcome for patients. Many patients are not in critical care units, they are on wards and hospital departments and their safety is equally important.
Sepsis is a medical emergency and should be treat as a high priority. This is recognised by the organisation that continue to support the role of the AIP team. It is with great pleasure that as sepsis specialist nurse I have had the opportunity to join this team.
Sepsis needs to become a firm fixture in the nursing pre-curriculum. I first learnt about sepsis approximately five years into my nursing career, on a critical care course whilst studying for my degree. More recently newly qualified nurses are now taught about sepsis during their preceptorship programme. Following this session the newly qualified nurses often express disbelief that it is the first point at which they have received any formal education on sepsis.
The challenge for all involved is to change culture of health care professionals. We all strive to provide the best possible health care to our patients but often what we believe we deliver differs to the actual care we provide.
The campaign started with a baseline audit to measure compliance of the care delivered to patients with sepsis or severe sepsis. It was apparent that recognition of sepsis was extremely poor. Education is one of the key drivers in the campaign against sepsis.
Empowering and equipping health care professionals with the knowledge and tools to aid recognition and response to sepsis ensures safer care for all. Formal study days are important in the delivery of education alongside education delivered at the bedside.
Within my professional role, I am continually exposed to the devastating effects of sepsis. It is a huge challenge not only locally, but nationally and internationally. Sepsis needs publicity. It needs to be high on the health care agenda. Investment is needed to sustain and continue to make improvements. I feel extremely proud to work for an organisation which has patient safety as a number one priority and continues to support the fight against sepsis.
