Effect of Education on Resident Physician Knowledge of Sepsis

Sepsis, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

A questionnaire was provided, including clinical vignettes and free text answers, to assess and evaluate the ability of resident physicians to identify systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, and severe sepsis. Questionnaire scores were compared between specialties. A whole-hospital educational campaign was provided with the aim to improve sepsis recognition, and the questionnaire survey was repeated after one year to assess the effect of the education on the recognition of sepsis.

Sepsis is the number one cause of mortality in US hospitals. An aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of resident physicians with different training backgrounds to recognize SIRS, sepsis, and severe sepsis. A survey assessment of the definition of SIRS, sepsis, and severe sepsis was administered to internal medicine, emergency room, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and general surgery residents. Then, an intensive educational campaign designed to improve recognition of the patient with sepsis was launched. For approximately 1 year, posters with this educational information were displayed in the hospital, one-on-one educational sessions were provided to residents, and didactic sessions focusing on sepsis were conducted. The survey was then redesigned and administered it to the same groups as described previously.

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