Nursing Implications of the Updated 2021 Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

Sepsis is a major health concern and has high mortality rates. In October of 2021, the fifth iteration of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) Guidelines was released. The guidelines included 93 recommendations for the management of patients with sepsis. In this AJCC article, we present several SSC guideline recommendations on screening and early identification, hemodynamic monitoring, ventilation, additional therapies and long-term outcomes and goals of care. The article highlights the important contributions that nurses make in delivering timely evidence-based care to patients with sepsis. Many recommendations have been unchanged from the 2016 guidelines, yet there is a new section related to long-term outcomes and goals of care that is aimed at improving care for patients across the continuum through recovery. Nurses’ knowledge of the guidelines and adherence to evidence-based practice is essential to improving sepsis patient and family outcomes.

Objectives

Describe interventions in the initial resuscitation of a patient with sepsis.
Identify the process in maintaining an adequate blood pressure using fluids, vasopressor therapy and monitoring response to therapy.
Integrate the SSC guideline recommendations for improving long-term outcomes and goals of care into the care plan for patients with sepsis.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must attend/view/read the entire activity and complete the associated evaluation to be awarded the contact hours or CERP. No partial credit will be awarded.

Disclosure

This activity has been reviewed by the Nurse Planner. It has been determined that the material presented here shows no bias. No conflicts of interest have been identified for any individual with the ability to influence the content of this activity. Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN or ANCC approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) Commission on Accreditation, ANCC Provider Number 0012. AACN has been approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the California State Board of Nursing (CBRN), California Provider number CEP 1036. This activity is approved for 1.00 contact hours.

AACN programming meets the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education contact hours for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting CE to fulfill continuing education requirements.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.