Clinical Case Database / Category: Patient Management

Triage in the Emergency Department: Sepsis

Publication details

TE Kaier, CB Narshi
Foundation Years Journal, volume 7, issue 2, p.53 (123Doc Education, London, February 2013)

Abstract

Triage in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department is the first step for any patient admitted to a hospital. Baseline observations help to identify critically ill patients and facilitate an urgent assessment with treatment via calculation of the Modifid Early Warning Score (MEWS). The higher the score, the more urgent attention is required from a doctor. In this article we outline the Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2008 (SSC) guidelines.

Additionally, the key steps in management of the patient presenting with sepsis are summarised from the current literature. These steps include an oxygen administration, resuscitation with intravenous fluids and infusion of intravenous antibiotics. Also basic defiitions of sepsis with its subsequent stages are provided. Therefore, the reader will appreciate why a streamlined process in assessing patients in the emergency department is used, as well as have a thorough understanding of the importance of rapid and aggressive treatment of patients with sepsis.

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Authors

TE Kaier (Corresponding author)

Department of Medicine
West Middlesex University Hospital
Twickenham Road
Isleworth
Middlesex
TW7 6AF UK
thomas@kaier.co.at

CB Narshi

Department of Medicine
West Middlesex University Hospital
Twickenham Road
Isleworth
Middlesex
TW7 6AF UK

References

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8.  8. Rivers E, Nguyen B, Havstad S, Ressler J, Muzzin A, Knoblich B, et al. Early goal-directed therapy in the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock. N. Engl. J. Med. 2001 Nov. 8;345(19):1368-1377.

9.  9. Nee PA, Rivers EP. The end of the line for the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, but not for early goal-directed therapy. Emerg Med J. 2011 Jan.;28(1):3-4.

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