Participate in research – Sepsis in people 75+

JUST ASK, COULD IT BE SEPSIS?

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to any infection that progresses quickly and requires immediate attention. Know the signs and symptoms (one or all of the following may be present).

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SEPSIS

Rapid breathing

Rapid heart rate

Confusion, slurred speech or disorientation

Fever or shivering

Muscle pain

Not passing urine

Discoloured skin

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO!

Early-stage sepsis:

Sufferers are generally unwell, may display one or all of the signs and symptoms, feel worse than when previously sick and there is concern
Contact healthdirect at https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/ OR Call 1800 022 222 (24 hours) and ask…could it be sepsis?

Later stage sepsis:

Sufferers are seriously unwell, likely to display significant changes in multiple signs and symptoms, feel like they might die and there is serious concern
CALL 000 Ambulance or if quicker go immediately to the closest Emergency Department and ask….could it be sepsis?

Key considerations:

If concerned get advice immediately
If seriously concerned get treatment immediately
Inflammation due to infection is normal but in sepsis the inflammation response is uncontrolled, it may start mildly but rapidly escalate to critical illness
Sepsis is difficult to recognise as it may not have an obvious cause, it can look like viral or bacterial illnesses such as flu, gastro or urinary tract infection
Trust your intuition…if it doesn’t feel right TAKE ACTION and always ask…could it be sepsis?

symptom checker Call 000

This research project is a phenomenological study seeking to understand the lived experience and perception of non-clinical persons who are ‘known and familiar’ with an older adult who has been diagnosed with sepsis. Interviewing with each individual participant is expected to take an average 45-60 mins. The benefit and potential impact in doing this specific research is the following:

This study could open the door to a more active role of non-clinicians,
Inclusion of the non-clinician into clinical warning tools.
Potential design of a non-clinician early recognition tool for sepsis which could further be tested for diagnostic accuracy.

All of this being consistent with this contemporary movement on patient and consumer involvement.

For more information please see the Participant Information Sheet at: Participant Interview_Information_Sheet