Nurse-led sepsis protocol saves time, lives

AONL member and CNO Nicole Telhiard, DNP, RN, implemented a nurse-led sepsis protocol with physician leaders in the emergency department of Our Lady of the Lake Health in Baton Rouge, La., to reduce alarm fatigue with the electronic medical record’s sepsis best practices advisories. The electronic medical record now prompts nurses to determine whether patients have an altered mental status or suspected infection. The protocol eliminates unnecessary testing and enables nurses to focus on patients diagnosed with sepsis and in need of treatment. In addition, the protocol has made data collection quicker and more efficient. The hospital has reduced sepsis deaths by 39% and decreased lengths of stay and re-admissions. Telhiard says including front-line staff was imperative to the protocol’s success. (HealthLeaders Media article, 6/30/25)