Standardizing Sepsis Screening and Management via a Tele-ICU Program Improves Patient Care

Abstract Objective: This article evaluates the feasibility of a tele-intensive care unit (ICU) nurse–driven early identification and treatment process for severe sepsis patients in improving compliance to evidence-based practice. Materials and Methods: Florence Nightingale identified that by using science, logic, and compassion to manipulate the patient care environment nurses could create the best possible conditions for healing to occur. Nurses in a tele-ICU used this premise to initiate a standardized screening and data collection program using a custom-built document sharing application that conformed to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) criteria for identification and treatment of severe sepsis. Results: The tele-ICU nurses performed 89,921 screens on 36,353 ICU admissions to 161 ICU beds across a geographical range of 500 miles. Between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008, tele-ICU nurses identified 5,437 patients as meeting the criteria for severe sepsis. Statistically significant increases in ...