Page 40 - UNC MC Assistive Personnel Orientation Manual 2020

Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and
organs. Sepsis is the number one cause of death in U.S. Hospitals

MEWS is a guide used to quickly determine the degree of illness of a patient. It is based on:
Heart Rate Systolic Blood Pressure Respiratory Rate
Temperature Urine Output Level of Consciousness (LOC)

Early Detection Saves Lives:
 Research shows that there are signs of deterioration for 6-8 hours before a significant event.
The NIH 100,000 lives campaign encourages hospitals to utilize rapid response teams at the first sign of
decline.
Failure to Rescue is a national concern that affects all types of patients.
UNC Medical Center has set a quality goal to decrease sepsis cases.

When V/S are entered into Epic it creates a score that is correlated to patient condition. The vital signs generate
an acuity score. This is an additional tool to help identify deterioration. Below is the MEWS scoring algorithm.

What does the score mean?

You can make a difference!
Record Vital signs at time taken
(don’t wait until all patients’ vital
signs are completed)
Report vital signs out of range
immediately to the RN
Record urine output or occurrence
every 4 hours – Ask the patient if
they voided

Nursing Practice and Professional Development / Assistive Personnel Orientation 2020 Page 37