Abstract
Background
With the rise of patients with sepsis presenting to emergency departments, emergency
nurses, as frontline healthcare workers, require current clinical knowledge of sepsis.
The aim of this study was to assess emergency department registered nurses’ knowledge
of sepsis and their perspectives of caring for patients with sepsis.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used to survey Registered Nurses from four
emergency departments in a western Canadian city (N = 312).
Results
The majority of nurses scored poorly on questions examining knowledge of systemic
inflammatory response syndrome variables associated with sepsis, and sepsis definitions,
general knowledge, and treatment (mean score 51.8%). Nurses acknowledged their lack
of knowledge and indicated a desire for further sepsis education. Challenges in providing
sepsis-related care concerned perceived heavy workloads and clinical implications
related to the patient's status.
Conclusions
Educational programs and coaching approaches that maximize nurses’ abilities to enhance
their decision-making with regards to early assessment and appropriate intervention
for persons with sepsis are needed. Such multifaceted approaches would acknowledge
nurses’ existing knowledge and provide practical supports to help nurses extend and
mobilize their knowledge for everyday decision-making within the complex clinical
environment of the emergency department.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 11, 2019
Accepted:
January 15,
2019
Received in revised form:
January 13,
2019
Received:
November 20,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
