Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Major

Nursing

Date of Defense

11-3-2025

Graduate Advisor

Joshua Minks

Committee

Elise Schaller

Kathryn Iden

Abstract

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome progressing to sepsis presents a significant challenge in emergency departments (ED), where delayed recognition and treatment increase morbidity, mortality, and costs. This project evaluated whether implementing the Evaluation for Severe Sepsis Screening Tool (SSST) alongside an existing sepsis best practice advisory (BPA) could reduce the interval from sepsis BPA alert to initiation of lab work and treatment in adult patients (18 years and older). A quasi-experimental design compared retrospective control data (n = 81, Group 1) with prospective project data (n = 34, Group 2) over eight weeks. ED nursing staff received specific education on the use of the Evaluation for SSST and what sepsis entails (including early signs and symptoms of sepsis). The nursing staff was then evaluated using pre- and post-tests to assess their knowledge/confidence. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the differences between Groups 1 and 2. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in the mean time from sepsis BPA alert to treatment initiation, decreasing from 228 minutes in Group 1 to 60 minutes in Group 2 (U = 90, p = .012), representing an average improvement of 168 minutes. Although the nursing staff’s knowledge/confidence scores increased marginally (pre-test M = 23.16 vs. post-test M = 24.08, p = .122), this change was not statistically significant.

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