Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection that affects about 1.7 million adults in America each year. At least 350,000 adults who develop sepsis die during their hospitalization or are discharged to hospice.
Throughout the month of September, the CDC Get Ahead of Sepsis educational effort shared life-saving information and resources. In case you missed it:
- New and updated sepsis materials for patients, their loved ones, and healthcare professionals to download and share, including an updated patient and family brochure and new fact sheets for long-term care (LTC) nurses and certified nurse assistants. These materials are available for hardcopy ordering through CDC-INFO On Demand: Select “Sepsis” from the “Programs” drop-down menu, then click the “Search” button.
- Safe Healthcare Blog post highlighting sepsis in LTC facilities; authored by CDC LTC expert, Heather Jones, DNP, NP-C.
- Updated sepsis social media graphics to educate friends and loved ones about sepsis.
Although Sepsis Awareness Month has ended, it is important to continue sharing information about sepsis throughout the year. By educating yourself and your patients about the risks, being able to spot the signs and symptoms, and acting fast, you can help stop an infection from developing into sepsis and save a life. To learn more about sepsis and how to prevent infections, visit www.cdc.gov/sepsis