The nonprofit health organization Sepsis Alliance first declared September Sepsis Awareness Month in 2011.
Here are four resources from the Sepsis Alliance to promote sepsis awareness and education this month.
1. Patient education toolkit: This resource contains information guides, tips for patients on how to prevent sepsis after discharge and prepared public service announcements on sepsis to send to local radio and television stations.
2. Nurse education video: This 20-minute video is designed to refresh nurses on the early warning signs of sepsis during a continued education or staff meeting.
3. Sepsis support badge: This Sepsis Awareness Month graphic can be added to organization websites to show support for sepsis awareness.
4. Posters and infographics: These informational resources contain sepsis facts that can be shared on social media and healthcare websites.
Sepsis occurs when the body turns against itself in an extreme response to an existing infection. Without prompt treatment, the potentially fatal condition can wreak havoc on bodily tissues and organs. More than 1.5 million people develop sepsis annually in the U.S. — 250,000 of these individuals die from the condition, according to the CDC.
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