The Importance of Sepsis Training for Care and Support Staff
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can affect anyone, but it's particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. In the UK, sepsis claims more lives than breast, prostate, and bowel cancer combined.
Despite its severity, there's a noticeable gap in sepsis training for care and support staff compared to other healthcare professionals. This blog aims to shed light on the significance of sepsis training and how it can save lives and reduce healthcare costs.
The Gap in Training Around Sepsis
Neil and I have extensive experience in healthcare and front-line services. I've worked in healthcare for 21 years, while Neil has served as an emergency medical technician (EMT) for six years, following a decade in the fire and rescue service. We've witnessed the devastating effects of sepsis firsthand and identified a disconnect in the training provided to ambulance and hospital staff compared to care and support staff. This gap needed to be bridged to empower these incredible individuals who are often the first to notice when something is wrong with their residents.
Empowering Care Staff
It's disheartening to hear phrases like "I'm just a carer" or "We don't know that stuff; we're just carers." Such statements should not be part of the vernacular. Care staff are often the first to notice when something is off with a resident, long before a healthcare professional gets involved. They deserve to feel empowered and confident in their roles, especially when they're caring for individuals most at risk of developing and dying from sepsis.
The Essentials of Sepsis Recognition and Escalation for Care & Support Staff
Our CQC-compliant course aims to equip care staff with the skills to identify the early signs of sepsis and escalate care appropriately. Endorsed and co-authored by Dr Ron Daniels BEM, CEO of The UK Sepsis Trust, the course teaches staff to speak the same language as the rest of the NHS. This is particularly crucial when communicating with GPs, ambulance staff, and hospital staff, who often don't give enough credence to the observations and instincts of care staff.
What Sets This Course Apart?
Unlike e-learning modules or basic awareness training, our course is taught by qualified healthcare professionals like paramedics, EMTs, and emergency department nurses. It includes practical elements that can't be taught online, such as taking vital signs accurately. The course also introduces the NEWS2 scoring system, a National Early Warning System used across the NHS since 2012. This tool allows care staff to quantify illness severity and communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals.
The Wider Implications
Beyond empowerment, sepsis training has broader benefits:
Reduction in ambulance call-outs
Fewer hospital admissions
Decrease in inappropriate referrals
Lower rates of death and complications due to sepsis
These benefits translate into significant cost savings for the NHS. If every elderly care home in the UK were to receive this training, and each home identified just one case of sepsis early enough to avoid hospital admission, the NHS could save around £18.4 million per year.
Conclusion
Sepsis training is not just about numbers; it's about people, families, and communities. With the right training, we can make a significant, positive impact on some of the most vulnerable groups in our society. We genuinely believe that a little extra training can save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.
For those interested in diving deeper into the statistics, you can refer to the 5th Edition of THE SEPSIS MANUAL by Daniels and Nutbeam, available online here.
Get In Touch to Make a Difference
Interested in elevating your team's competence and confidence when it comes to sepsis awareness? Don't hesitate to get in touch with us at NR Medical Training. We're more than just trainers; we're experts with real-world experience committed to engaging, educating, and empowering. Our sepsis training is designed not merely to inform but to inspire action, and it could be the crucial difference in early recognition and treatment. To find out more details or to book a course, simply give us a call on 01603 339 159 or drop us an email to info@nrmedical.training. Let’s join forces to make sepsis awareness second nature in our healthcare settings.
