133 Background: Sepsis is estimated to affect 16.8% of the cancer population with hematologic malignancies leading to significant mortality. The incidence may be higher in elderly leukemia patients with concurrent comorbidities. Results of case scenario questionnaires presented to leukemia nurses during a quality improvement project revealed a potential to increase recognition of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, commonly used to identify patients who are at high risk for sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock, by 20% among leukemia nurses. Earlier recognition of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome by clinicians is thought to possibly reduce the mortality among those with leukemia. The purpose of this poster is to present the pre-test/post-test results of an educational intervention aimed at increasing earlier recognition of SIRS and consequent sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock by 20% among 65 nurses on the leukemia units at a major cancer center. Methods: A multidisciplinary team Pharmacists from ICU and Leukemia and ICU MERIT Team-Leader, led by 2 APNs from ICU and Leukemia, developed and presented an educational program to nurses on the leukemia units to support proposed changes in practice. Pre-test and post-tests were used to determine nurses’ knowledge prior to and after the educational intervention. Results: Analysis of pre- and post-test scores revealed 61% increase in recognition of SIRS, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. There were no cases of systemic inflammatory response syndrome identified among the 29 leukemia patients by nurses prior to the intervention compared to 9 out of 16 post intervention. Conclusions: Education of nurses on leukemia units revealed an increase in their knowledge base and improvement in recognition of SIRS, sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock. Implications for nursing include a need to incorporate this education to all nurses who are assigned to units caring for hematologic malignancies to include lymphoma, stem-cell transplant, and myeloma. Our quality improvement project showed the need for on-going healthcare provider education to recognize the symptoms early which may save lives and reduce costs of healthcare.
Peer Review #1 of "Multifaceted interventions to decrease mortality in patients with severe sepsis/septic shock—a quality improvement project (v0.1)"
