Sepsis champions drive early detection, treatment in emergency departments

Emergency departments across the Central Zone are making remarkable progress in the early detection and treatment of sepsis, thanks to the efforts of the Central Zone Sepsis Action Improvement Team. Hospitals like Cobequid Community Health Centre in Sackville, Hants Community Hospital in Windsor, and Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital in Musquodoboit Harbour are leading the charge, with dedicated sepsis champions driving these vital improvements. 

Kayla Dort, a registered nurse at CCHC; Morgen Aulenbach, a clinical nurse lead HCH; and Terri-Anne McGregor, a registered nurse at TOMH; have played an integral role in driving this initiative. Their leadership ensures sepsis remains top-of-mind for staff while introducing new tools and procedures to enhance patient care.

The project focused primarily on the early recognition and screening of sepsis, particularly during triage. 

“With a lot of new grads in the department, there was a big emphasis on learning,” Morgen says. “We worked on recognizing signs early and implemented updated pre-printed orders for physicians, which led to the development of sepsis kits.”

The sepsis kits have proven to be a game-changer for emergency staff. "The kits contain everything nurses need (pre-gathered), such as IV supplies, blood work tubes and the first litre of fluid" says Morgen. "Previously, nurses had to gather supplies from different areas, which took time. Now they just grab the kit and go." 

This simple, yet effective change streamlines the process and allows nurses to respond faster in critical situations.

Terri-Anne has witnessed first-hand the severe impact of delayed antibiotic administration. One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a new care directive, which empowers registered nurses and advanced care paramedics to begin treatment for suspected sepsis without waiting for direct physician approval. 

This directive ensures patients showing signs of sepsis receive life-saving antibiotics within the crucial one-to-three-hour timeframe.

“Sepsis can escalate quickly, and early intervention is crucial in preventing septic shock,” Terri-Anne explains.

Sepsis is a time-sensitive condition. Once it progresses, the body's organs begin to fail and the window for effective intervention shrinks. 

“It’s a rapidly deteriorating infection that can cause multi-organ system failure,” explains Kayla. “Once the body gives up, there’s only so much we can do.”

The urgency of sepsis treatment is a powerful motivator, Kayla says. “The slogan we created at our site, ‘Time is Organ,’ really sums it up. You’ll see people who seem fine one minute; then in multi-organ failure the next.”

The slogan is used on the updated sepsis tools and resources to reinforce the message that sepsis is a medical emergency that must be treated quickly.

Early intervention is critical, as it means a much easier recovery for patients and a better chance to avoid the devastating long-term effects of sepsis.

The results of these efforts are promising. 

"We’ve seen a 30 per cent reduction in the time to administer antibiotics and a general improvement in staff understanding of sepsis," Morgen notes. 

Kayla’s experience as a sepsis champion reinforces an important lesson: change is possible. While individual healthcare workers may struggle to enact large-scale improvements alone, she acknowledges collective efforts can drive meaningful change.

“Seeing an entire team rally behind the project has been an inspiring experience, demonstrating the power of collaboration in healthcare,” says Kayla.

The initiative’s success can largely be attributed to the strong engagement of both nurses and physicians. 

"Our small team was eager to implement changes," says Morgen. Her advice to others looking to implement similar projects is straight forward: “Trust the process and take it step-by-step,” she says. “It’s about making manageable changes and supporting your team along the way.”

As the teams looks ahead, they are focused on sustaining the momentum of early sepsis recognition and treatment. Kayla, Morgen and Terri-Anne emphasize the importance of continued education, tools, resources and sepsis champions to maintain the progress they’ve made at their hospitals. Through their collaborative efforts, they are saving lives and creating a culture where early sepsis detection and treatment are embedded in daily practices
This work is already in Phase 2, which is focused on expanding to the remaining emergency departments and urgent treatment centres in Central Zone.

Photos of (L-R) Terri-Anne McGregor, registered nurse at Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital; Kayla Dort, registered nurse at Cobequid Community Health Centre; Morgen Aulenbach, clinical nurse lead at Hants Community Hospital.