Sepsis Messages/Materials

HOW CAN I GET AHEAD OF SEPSIS?

FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Healthcare professionals can:

•
•
•
•

Know sepsis signs to identify and treat patients early.
Act fast if you suspect sepsis.
Prevent infections by following infection control
practices (e.g., hand hygiene, catheter removal) and
ensuring patients receive recommended vaccines.
Educate your patients and their families about:
- Preventing infections.
- Keeping scrapes and wounds clean.
- Managing chronic conditions.
- Recognizing early signs of worsening infection and
sepsis and seeking immediate care if signs are present.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT SEPSIS?
•
•

Immediately alert clinician in charge if it is not you.
Know your facility’s existing guidance for diagnosing
and managing sepsis.
• Start antibiotics as soon as possible, in addition to
other therapies appropriate for that individual patient.
• Check patient progress frequently. Reassess antibiotic
therapy 24-48 hours to stop or change therapy as
needed. Be sure antibiotic type, dose, and duration are
correct.
Sepsis is a medical emergency. Protect your patients
by acting fast. Delayed recognition and treatment of
sepsis increases your patients’ risk of death.
Learn more about sepsis and how to prevent infections:
www.cdc.gov/sepsis.

This project has been funded in whole or in
part with Federal funds from the National
Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious
Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS), under
Contract No. 200-2016-F-90343.

·

PROTECT YOUR PATIENTS
FROM SEPSIS.
Infections put your patients at risk for sepsis. Be alert to
the signs and, if suspected, act fast.

More than 1.5 million people
get sepsis each year in the U.S.

At least 250,000 Americans
die from sepsis each year.

One in three patients who die in a
hospital have sepsis.

WHAT IS SEPSIS?
Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an
infection. It is life-threatening, and without prompt
treatment, often rapidly leads to tissue damage,
organ failure, and death.

WHAT CAUSES SEPSIS?
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF SEPSIS?
There is no single symptom of sepsis. Signs of sepsis can
include a combination of any of the following:

?

?

?

Almost any type of infection can trigger sepsis. Four
types of infections that are often linked with sepsis
are lung, urinary tract, skin, and gut.
The most frequently identified pathogens that cause
infections that can develop into sepsis include
Staphylococcus aureus (staph), Escherichia coli
(E. coli), and some types of Streptococcus (strep).

?

WHO IS AT RISK?
CONFUSION OR
DISORIENTATION

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

HIGH HEART RATE

Anyone can get an infection, and almost any
infection can lead to sepsis. Certain patients are at
increased risk for developing sepsis:

•
•
•
•

FEVER, OR SHIVERING,
OR FEELING VERY COLD

EXTREME PAIN OR
DISCOMFORT

CLAMMY OR
SWEATY SKIN

Adults 65 or older
People with chronic medical conditions, such as
diabetes, lung disease, cancer, and kidney disease
People with weakened immune systems
Children younger than one

FO R H E A LTH C A R E PRO F E S S I O N A L S

PROTECT YOUR
PATIENTS
FROM SEPSIS.
More than 1.5 million people get
sepsis each year in the U.S.
At least 250,000 Americans die
from sepsis each year.

Educate your patients about how to prevent infections,
what signs to look for, and when to seek medical care
for possible sepsis. They are counting on you.

KNOW THE RISKS

PREVENT AND EDUCATE

Anyone can get an infection, and almost any infection
can lead to sepsis. Certain patients are at increased risk
for developing sepsis:

Educate your patients and their families so they can:

• People with chronic medical conditions, such as
diabetes, lung disease, cancer, and kidney disease
• Adults 65 or older
• People with weakened immune systems
• Children younger than one
The most frequently identified pathogens that cause
infections that can develop into sepsis include
Staphylococcus aureus (staph), Escherichia coli (E. coli),
and some types of Streptococcus (strep).

• Recognize the symptoms of severe infection and sepsis.
There is no single symptom of sepsis. Signs of sepsis
can include a combination of any of the following:
?

?

?

?

CONFUSION OR
DISORIENTATION

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

HIGH HEART RATE

FEVER, OR SHIVERING,
OR FEELING VERY COLD

EXTREME PAIN OR
DISCOMFORT

CLAMMY OR
SWEATY SKIN

YOU PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE
Talk to your patients and their families about the
symptoms of sepsis and the need to seek
emergency medical care if they suspect sepsis.

• Practice good hygiene, such as handwashing and

To learn more about sepsis and how to
prevent infections, visit www.cdc.gov/sepsis.

ensuring scrapes and wounds are kept clean until healed.
• Take steps to prevent infections, such as caring for
chronic conditions.
• Seek medical care when an infection is not getting better
or is getting worse.
Prevent infections

• Follow infection control practices (e.g., hand hygiene,
catheter removal) and ensure patients receive
recommended vaccines.
·

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious
Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under
Contract No. 200-2016-F-90343.

PROTECT YOUR
PATIENTS FROM SEPSIS.
Infections put your patients at risk for sepsis. Be alert to the signs and,
if suspected, act fast.
Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is life-threatening, and without prompt
treatment, often rapidly leads to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.

SEPSIS
STATS

More than

1.5 million
people get sepsis
each year in the U.S.

WHAT
CAUSES
SEPSIS?

At least

250,000
Americans die from
sepsis each year

1 in 3 patients
who die in a hospital
have sepsis

The most frequently identified pathogens that cause infections that can develop into sepsis include
Staphylococcus aureus (staph), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and some types of Streptococcus (strep).
Four types of infections that are often linked with sepsis:

Lungs
(e.g., pneumonia)

Urinary tract
(e.g., kidney)

Anyone can get an infection, and almost any infection can lead to sepsis. Certain patients
are at increased risk for developing sepsis:

Adults 65
or older

About

People with chronic
medical conditions,
such as diabetes, lung
disease, cancer, and
kidney disease

People with
weakened
immune
systems

Children
younger
than one

Skin

Gut

WHO IS
AT RISK?

SEPSIS SIGNS

Confusion or
disorientation

There is no single symptom of sepsis. Signs of sepsis can include a combination of any
of the following:

Shortness
of breath

High
heart rate

Fever, or
shivering, or
feeling very cold

HOW CAN I GET AHEAD OF SEPSIS?
Healthcare professionals can:
• Know sepsis signs to identify and treat patients early.
• Act fast if you suspect sepsis.

Extreme pain
or discomfort

Clammy or
sweaty skin

Sepsis is a medical
emergency. Protect your
patients by acting fast.
Delayed recognition and
treatment of sepsis increases
your patients’ risk of death.

• Prevent infections by following infection control practices
(e.g., hand hygiene, catheter removal) and ensuring patients
receive recommended vaccines.
• Educate your patients and their families about:
- Preventing infections.
- Keeping scrapes and wounds clean.
- Managing chronic conditions. - Recognizing early signs of worsening infection and sepsis
and seeking immediate care if signs are present.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT SEPSIS?
• Immediately alert clinician in charge if it is not you.
• Know your facility’s existing guidance for diagnosing and managing sepsis.
• Start antibiotics as soon as possible, in addition to other therapies appropriate for
that individual patient.
• Check patient progress frequently. Reassess antibiotic therapy 24-48 hours to stop or
change therapy as needed. Be sure antibiotic type, dose, and duration are correct.

Learn more about sepsis and how to prevent infections:
www.cdc.gov/sepsis.

·

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious
Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under
Contract No. 200-2016-F-90343.

Protect your patients from sepsis.
·

To learn more about sepsis
and how to prevent infections,
visit www.cdc.gov/sepsis.

To assemble the pocket guide:

F O R H E A LT H C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L S

WHO IS AT RISK?
Anyone can get an infection, and almost
any infection can lead to sepsis.
Some people are at higher risk of
infection and sepsis:

• Adults 65 or older
• People with chronic conditions, such

as diabetes, lung disease, cancer, and
kidney disease
• People with weakened immune systems
• Children younger than one

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS?
Symptoms can include a combination of
any of the following:

• Confusion or disorientation
• Shortness of breath
• High heart rate
• Fever, or shivering, or feeling very cold
• Extreme pain or discomfort
• Clammy or sweaty skin

HOW CAN I GET AHEAD OF SEPSIS?
• Know sepsis signs to identify and treat
patients early.

• Act fast if you suspect sepsis.
• Prevent infections by following
infection control practices (e.g., hand
hygiene, catheter removal) and ensuring
patients receive recommended vaccines.
• Educate patients and their families about:
• Preventing infections.
• Keeping scrapes and wounds clean.
• Managing chronic conditions.
• Recognizing early signs of worsening
infection and sepsis and seeking
immediate care if signs are present.

1.

Print landscape on 8.5x11 paper

2.

Cut along the perforated line

3.

Fold in half vertically (top to bottom)

4.

Fold in half horizontally (left to right)

F O R H E A LTH C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L S

PROTECT
YOUR PATIENTS
FROM SEPSIS.
Your patients are counting on you.
Educate them about:
• How to prevent infections
• What signs to look for
• When to seek medical care for possible sepsis

To learn more about sepsis and how to prevent
infections, visit www.cdc.gov/sepsis.
·

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Center for
Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Contract No. 200-2016-F-90343.