EMS has focused on trauma, stroke and STEMI in recent years with resulting improvements in outcomes. Many health care systems are now turning attention to sepsis care and the considerable role EMS can play in early recognition and treatment.
Here in Connecticut we have Sepsis Alerts, which while rarely generating the full response of Trauma, Stroke and STEMI Alerts are important to help hospitals be able to quickly recognize sick people on entry and devote them more immediate attention than they might otherwise receive.
EMS can start the treatment soonest with aggressive fluid resuscitation for those who meet the indications.
Great material on sepsis is available at this web site:
Check out this excellent video:
Learn to recognize sepsis:
IDENTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE SEPTIC SHOCK
Suspected infection – YES
Evidence of sepsis criteria – YES (2 or more):
o Temperature < 96.8 °F or > 100.4 °F.
o Heart rate > 90 bpm.
o Respiratory rate > 20 bpm.
o Systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg OR Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) <65 mmHg.
o New onset altered mental status OR increasing mental status change with previously altered mental status.
o Serum lactate level >4 mmol/L if available and trained.
-From Connecticut EMS Treatment Guidelines
