Implementation resources - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Quality improvement tools

Self-Assessment Tool - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Audit, monitoring or reporting tool

This self-assessment tool supports the development and monitoring of quality improvement plans for sepsis care by allowing services to assess their progress towards implementing key elements of the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard. The Sepsis Clinical Care Standard Self-Assessment Tool can be used when establishing a new sepsis program, or to support the delivery and continual improvement of an existing sepsis program.
Indicator Monitoring Tool - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Audit, monitoring or reporting tool

The Indicator Monitoring Tool is a data repository, analysis and reporting tool for the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard indicators. It can be used by healthcare services to capture and audit individual patient data, examine results and identify targets for improvement. A Quick Reference Guide and a demonstration version of the Indicator Monitoring Tool using sample data are available to support the use of the tool.

Implementation resources for healthcare services, clinicians and consumers

Information to support sepsis co-ordinator roles, antimicrobial access and use of lactate in recognising deterioration.

Lactate in the deteriorating patient - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

Information for clinicians about the significance of elevated serum lactate levels in both adults and children. Recognition of elevated lactate and rapid escalation of care can avoid patient harm and potentially death.
Sepsis coordination: Roles and responsibilities - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

Guidance for healthcare services on allocating roles and responsibilities to support quality improvement and coordination of care for sepsis.
Antimicrobial guidance for sepsis programs - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

Guidance for hospitals and acute facilities about systems to ensure rapid access to appropriate antimicrobials for patients with sepsis, including use and governance of sepsis boxes.

Resources to support discharge planning - including information for patients and families

Discharge planning guide for patients with sepsis - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

Recommendations for multidisciplinary discharge planning to ensure follow up and support for patients and their families after hospitalisation with sepsis - including a discharge checklist.
GP letter template for discharge - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Template, survey or form

This template letter can be used by healthcare services to communicate with a patient’s general practitioner on discharge following hospitalisation for sepsis. It contains information about post-sepsis syndrome and sepsis recovery.
Information for people with sepsis and their families (for adults) - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

This leaflet provides information about sepsis and what it means for care and recovery. It is written for adults who are being treated for sepsis in hospital.
Information for parents, carers and families of children with sepsis - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

This leaflet provides information about sepsis and what it means for care and recovery. It is written for families of children who are being treated for sepsis in hospital.
Bereavement support after sepsis - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

This leaflet provides information on sepsis and bereavement support and is written for people who have lost someone because of sepsis.

Case studies featuring innovation in implementing sepsis care

Embedding antimicrobial stewardship in sepsis care – The Alfred Hospital: Implementation case study

2022

Other resource

The Alfred Hospital’s substantial program of work has delivered improvements in the timeliness and appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy for sepsis. Learn more about their key initiatives including a randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) reviews following medical emergency team (MET) calls for suspected sepsis, and the creation of a sepsis pharmacist role.
Implementing a paediatric sepsis program in partnership with families affected by sepsis - Queensland Paediatric Sepsis Program: Implementation case study

2022

Other resource

The Queensland Paediatric Sepsis Program (QPSP) has changed how children at risk of sepsis are cared for in Queensland hospitals, and transformed how support is provided to families after an experience of childhood sepsis. Learn more about the QPSP’s initiatives including the QPSP Family Support Structure which was co-designed with consumers, and the state-wide Paediatric Sepsis Pathway and other resources for clinicians.
Delivering better sepsis care in regional and remote communities - Gove District Hospital, NT: Implementation case study

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

Despite the unique challenges of caring for sepsis in remote parts of Australia, Gove District Hospital - a small regional hospital in NT - has implemented ongoing improvement in sepsis care over several years, contributing to sepsis pathway development for small hospitals statewide. Learn about the significant changes to culture and processes at Gove District Hospital, triggered by the untimely and tragic death from sepsis of a young girl in the Gove community.

Podcasts

Purple Pen Podcast

Dr Carolyn Hullick (ED Physician, Clinical Director at the Commission and Chair of the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard Topic Working Group) and Professor Jason Roberts (Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Queensland, Pharmacist at Metro North Health and member of the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard Topic Working Group) talk to Kristin Xenos (Senior Project Officer at the Commission and cohost of the Purple Pen Podcast) about why we need a sepsis clinical care standard, how the standard was developed, and the management of sepsis including antimicrobial therapy and implications for antimicrobial stewardship.

Listen on your usual podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify etc) or visit the Purple Pen Podcast website.

onthewards

onthewards is an online medical education resource with podcasts and blogs tailored to medical students and junior doctors. Hear Dr Carolyn Hullick and Professor Simon Finfer in conversation with Dr James Edwards. They discuss why the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard is so important, key challenges in the early diagnosis of sepsis, antimicrobial therapy and the challenges of coordinating sepsis care for patients.

Listen on your usual podcast platform or on the onthewards website.

Fact sheets about the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

Information for clinicians - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

This resource lists the seven quality statements in the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard and describes what each statement means for clinicians involved in sepsis care. It outlines key considerations for clinicians in regard to equity and cultural safety.

Information for healthcare services - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

This resource accompanies the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard. It describes what the quality statements mean for healthcare services and provides indicators to support local quality improvement activity. It outlines key considerations for healthcare services in regard to equity and cultural safety.

Guide for Consumers - Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

2022

Fact sheet or brochure

The Sepsis Clinical Care Standard contains seven quality statements that describe the health care that should be provided to patients of all ages with signs and symptoms of sepsis. It also addresses the care that should be provided in hospital and after discharge, including survivorship. This guide explains what each quality statement from the Clinical Care Standard means for patients and their families.

Other useful resources

The Sepsis Clinical Care Standard includes links to a range of related resources, including state and territory decision support tools and sepsis pathways, guidelines for recognising and responding to acute deterioration, resources to support antimicrobial therapy, and resources for consumers and carers.

The Spotlight on Sepsis video series aims to promote sepsis awareness amongst clinicians and the general community. The series was created as part of the National Sepsis Awareness Campaign. Use and share these videos to help build awareness about sepsis.