Thank you for sending the answers to these questions.. The questions are
good ones, and ones I am sure most of us face when collecting sepsis data.

 

Is there a place where we can get the operational definitions for compliance
with the indicators in the SSC database?

Thank you so much.

 

 

Martie

Martie Mattson, RN, MSN, CNS, CCRN(a)

Critical Care Consultant and Educator

 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

(415) 412-2364

 

From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stephen
Davidow
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2013 10:50 AM
To: '[email protected]'
Subject: [Sepsis Groups] Q&A for SSC Data Collection/Abstraction

 

Dear Colleagues:

 

One member of the listserv recently posted a number of questions related to
data abstraction, the data collection tool and the SSC database.

 

Christa Schorr, RN, MSN, FCCM, the principal architect of the tool responded
and I thought the community would find this Q&A valuable.

 

Best wishes,

 

Stephen

 

Hello SSC

We recently started abstraction into the SSC database and we have quite a
few questions.  Please respond back with answers/guidance so we can
correctly abstract to give us and the benchmark group accurate data. 

 

1.            What is supposed to be used for "Date/time of screening" on
Screen 2.  In our institution, we don't document the time we screened a
patient, we only document Time Zero (Presentation Time) In this case you may
want to consider using this time block as the date and time that the
abstractor is reviewing the chart as time of screening. Previously
abstractors have used this in several ways, one as retrospective review
(date and time of data entry) and another method for those doing concurrent
bedside review, entering date and time of data entry. This particular item
is not dependent on meeting the indicators. 

 

2.  If a patient transfers to us from another hospital with a diagnosis of
Septic Shock, what to we use as "Date/time of screening" AND what do we use
for "Time Zero" . We have recommended not including transfer patients in the
database, since the critical first 6 hours of care are most often managed at
the outside hospital. Therefore, time zero was at the OSH not the receiving
institution. It is quite difficult to interpret/credit the efforts at the
OSH. It is therefore a challenge to be meet the indicators when the patient
was at another facility during the acute phase of sepsis. 

 

2.            We find the instructions surrounding Blood Culture/Antibiotic
timing confusing.  Can someone send us an example or another descriptor that
is a bit more clear. I will do my best to give an example (s).

If a patient was in the hospital  (floor or ICU) being treated for sepsis
(suspicion or confirmed infection), had blood cultures drawn and was started
on antibiotics for the infection, now develops acute organ dysfunction
(severe sepsis) and antibiotics were continued through the time of
presentation, the first box would be checked.

           Example: Patient admitted to the floor with cellulitis on day 1
(blood cultures done and antibiotics started and continued through day 2),
develops hypotension and elevated lactate on day 2 (severe sepsis)-meets
criteria for severe sepsis. The blood culture and antibiotic indicators are
met and the first check box is used. The date and time are not required in
this example.

 

If the patient develops a new suspected of confirmed infection, (for
example, presents to the ED, develops a CLABSI on the floor or sternal wound
infection in the ICU) and an acute organ dysfunction, the you would enter
the date and time of blood cultures and antibiotic administration
associated.

 

Example 1: Patient presents to the emergency department with fever, WBC
14,000, lactate 2.5 and hypotension-blood cultures are drawn and antibiotics
started. The date and time of the blood cultures is recorded and needs to be
prior to antibiotic administration to meet the indicator. The date and time
of the first antibiotic should be recorded first and any subsequent
antibiotics can be added to the list. Indicator achievement is based on the
first antibiotic.

 

Example 2:  Patient admitted to the ICU post CABG surgery, has some
difficulty with the post-op course and develops a sternal wound infection on
ICU day 5 with acute oliguria and hypotension. Blood cultures are sent and
antibiotics are started. The date and time of blood cultures is entered as
well as the administration of the antibiotics. 

 

3.            If fluid completion time is not documented, what do we do?  

We included this element to help sites track their resuscitation efforts, as
many reported challenges with early, appropriate resuscitation.

 

In order to determine if a patient met the fluid resuscitation requirements
within the 3 hour time window, the abstractor would need to determine if 30
ml/kg was administered. Based on documentation, the abstractor may have use
his/her best judgment as to when the 30 ml/kg was completed. 

 

4.5  BP-Fluid Resuscitation tab.  question 7d,  for how long does the MAP
need to remain >= 65 for the question "did MAP rise and remain >= 65".  ex.
if it rose and remained for 3 hrs, but then dropped how do we answer this
question. 

 

This is not clearly defined, but we should consider at least during the
initial resuscitation period. As we know some patients are a challenge and
we will have some that do not fit into each box in the same way. This is
also an important item for those who have an elevated lactate >=4 and
require fluids but are not hypotensive.

 

5.  In our institution, we count a Lactic Acid >4 as Septic Shock.  Is there
any plan for SSC to do this in the future? 

 

The definition for septic shock is sepsis induced hypotension not responsive
to adequate fluid resuscitation (30 ml//kg), requiring vasopressors to
maintain a MAP >=65 mmHg. If the patient does have a lactate >4, this
subject falls into severe sepsis with sepsis-induced organ dysfunction or
tissue hypoperfusion.

 

6.  How do we document date/time for a CVP line that was in place prior to
admission. 

 

The database does not currently include this option of checking that a line
was previously placed. If the line was placed after time of presentation
with severe sepsis that would be our first choice. In this case where the
line was placed prior to time of presentation, the most appropriate date and
time is the time of presentation. This would be interpreted as a line
already in place at time of presentation.

 

7.  If a patient is made comfort care within 24 hours, do you include them
in the database? 

 

We have recommended that these patients not be included in the database, as
there are limitations placed on the ability to achieve the indicators. If
there are limitations on support such as, refuses central line or mechanical
ventilation, this would impact the ability to fully manage the patient's
care. However, if there is a DNR status documented, but aggressive
procedures have been done for this acute illness, we would include this
patient. The DNR status in this case would be if a cardiac arrest should
occur, the patient/family does not want CPR.

 

8.  How often do you recommend Export/Transfer of data. 

 

We have recommended export/transfer data monthly.

 

Stephen L. Davidow, MBA-HCM, APR | Manager, Quality Implementation Programs
| Society of Critical Care Medicine

500 Midway Drive, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-5811 USA

t: +1 847.827.7088 | f: +1 847.827.7123 | www.sccm.org

www.facebook.com/SCCM1 | www.twitter.com/SCCM | www.youtube.com/SCCM500

 

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