Define sepsis and septic shock in current terms and explain why "infection plus a high heart rate" is not the same thing as sepsis. - Apply SIRS, qSOFA and early warning scores at the bedside and state what each can and cannot tell you. - Explain why a negative screen never rules sepsis out and why a positive qSOFA is a call to act, not a diagnosis. - Interpret blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), lactate, capillary refill and urine output as signs of perfusion. - Carry out and sequence the time-sensitive nursing actions that sit within an RN's scope and medical directives, and escalate with the right words. - Reassess after every intervention and recognize when the patient is moving toward septic shock.
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