Ms Alison Lemoh1, Professor Karin Thursky1, Professor Mei Krishnasamy1, Ms Jenny Motiani1 , Doctor Lisa Guccione1
1Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | National Centre for Infections in Cancer (PhD) University Of Melbourne
Abstract:
Background
Sepsis causes one in five global deaths. In Australia, latest research reports 135,000 sepsis cases annually with 12,000 deaths and up to 50% of survivors experiencing long-term sequelae. Registered nurses (RNs) perform key roles in early sepsis recognition and management, but there is a lack of research exploring their experiences and perceptions of sepsis care delivery across high and low-resourced Australian healthcare contexts. This study therefore aims to investigate RNs experiences of sepsis care provision in metropolitan, regional and rural/remote healthcare settings and identify barriers and enablers that affect timely sepsis recognition and management.
Method
This qualitative, exploratory study recruited fifteen participants with even distribution across metropolitan, regional, and rural/remote settings. Semi-structured in-depth interviews explored participants’ perspectives and experiences of recognising and managing patient deterioration due to possible sepsis. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) guided the analysis to categorise themes across 14 domains.
Preliminary Results
The most prevalent enablers and barriers mapped to TDF domains were (1) possessing/lacking adequate knowledge to recognise and manage deterioration due to potential sepsis (Knowledge), (2) possessing/lacking confidence in patient assessment, communicating concern, and escalating care (Belief about Capabilities), (3) having/lacking adequate training to manage acute deterioration due to potential sepsis (Skills), (4) having/lacking clear sepsis protocols (Environment), (5) working with/lacking responsive, supportive medical staff (Social Influences).
Conclusion
These preliminary results identify specific barriers and enablers that impact how RNs recognise and respond to deterioration due to potential sepsis. Targeted implementation strategies can be designed based on these findings that optimise nurse-led sepsis care in both high and low-resourced settings.