Or process is stat lactate and repeat q3 hours x 2 when a patient screens 
positive for SIRS with infection or suspected infection. No matter what the 
initial lactate is, we get a series of 3. This is a hospital protocol, a nurse 
driven order, no physician involvement is required. If any of the lactates are 
elevated, the nurse is expected to notify the physician based on our Sepsis MD 
Notification Guidelines. They are basically, notify the physician if the 
lactate is greater than 2, unless the patient is admitted with sepsis and 
treatment is in progress. Also, notify the physician if the lactate is greater 
than 4, even if the physician is aware and treatment is in progress.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Diana Davis" <[email protected]>
To: "Diane Overmyer" <[email protected]>, "Barbara Tribuiani" 
<[email protected]>, [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, March 5, 2019 1:51:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Sepsis Groups] Lactate question


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We are struggling with a process that will help us to pass the Sepsis measure 
in regard to the lactate closest to severe sepsis presentation.  We typically 
only drawn two lactates but can see where this can be an issue and cause us to  
fallout  on the Sepsis measure. 

  

Can anyone share  the process you have in place /how you  are capturing  this 
information  or is anyone doing three lactates? 

Any suggestions would be helpful. 

  

Thank you, 

Diana Davis 

Quality Outcomes Coordinator 



From: Sepsisgroups [mailto:[email protected]] On 
Behalf Of Overmyer, Diane 
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2019 6:38 PM 
To: 'Barbara Tribuiani'; [email protected] 
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [Sepsis Groups] Lactate question 

  


WARNING: This email is from an external source; DO NOT CLICK links or 
attachments unless you recognize the sender. 



Hello: 

Below is a Q&A that I submitted through QNET.  I have an even better one that I 
am searching for and will send it when I find it.  Hope this helps a little bit 
at least.  


Initial Lactic Acid 


  


 Discussion Thread 


 Response Via Email (Reena Raveendran)  

08/14/2017 02:23 PM 


Hi Diane, 

  For purposes of the measure, the "Initial" lactate is the level drawn closest 
to severe sepsis presentation.  The reason for using this lactate as the 
"Initial" is that the lactate accurately reflects what is physically going on 
with the patient in regards to their condition, whether they are 
decompensating, if they are developing septic shock, etc.  Once severe sepsis 
is present, it is important to know what the most recent lactate is (closest in 
time) in order to order the appropriate treatment and carry out the most 
appropriate interventions.  

  Also, since the patient did develop severe sepsis, it would be important to 
recheck the lactate close to the time of presentation, to determine whether the 
patient's condition is improving.  Therefore, even though the Initial Lactate 
uses the word "initial", it is more in reference to when severe sepsis 
occurred, rather than which was the first one to be drawn in chronological 
order. 

  Hope this clarifies. 

  


 Customer By Web Form (Diane Overmyer)  

08/14/2017 01:39 PM 


We have a patient that had a lactic acid drawn at 0855. Severe sepsis 
presentation was at 1045. A repeat lactic acid was drawn at 1150. If I am 
understanding the guidelines correctly, I would have to use the 1150 lactic 
acid as the initial and we will not pass the measure because there wasn’t 
another lactic acid drawn. What is the rationale for not using the 0855 lactic 
acid for the initial? 


  


 Question Reference #170814-000100 

  

  



From: Sepsisgroups [ mailto:[email protected] ] On 
Behalf Of Barbara Tribuiani 
Sent: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 1:46 PM 
To: [email protected] 
Subject: [Sepsis Groups] FW: Lactate question 

  

Hi All- 

  

Please see below. Does everyone agree with this? They make it so difficult. 

  


  

Thank you, 

Barb 

  

  

Barbara Tribuiani BSN RN 

Sepsis Coordinator/Quality Improvement Nurse 

Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital 

[email protected] 

Phone: 610-237-4208 

  

1500 Lansdowne Ave. 

Darby, Pa. 19023 

  

STOP SEPSIS, SAVE A LIFE! 

  



From: Barbara Tribuiani 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 1:44 PM 
To: Lisa Blount < [email protected] > 
Subject: RE: Lactate question 

  

Hello again, 

  

I just checked the rules again and here is what I found which helps to clarify 
our problem with the lactate. 

  

The specified time frame within which an initial lactate must be drawn is 
within 6 hours prior through 3 hours following severe sepsis presentation. o If 
multiple lactate levels are drawn within the specified time frame, use the 
lactate drawn PRIOR to the Severe Sepsis Presentation Time with the HIGHEST 
level . 

o If multiple lactate levels are drawn ONLY in the 3 hours after the Severe 
Sepsis Presentation Time , use the lactate drawn with the HIGHEST level within 
this time frame. 

  

  

So Karla in answer to your question it appears that the LA drawn at 0609 is the 
initial LA per the rules. Hope this helps. 

  


  

Thank you, 

Barb 

  

  

Barbara Tribuiani BSN RN 

Sepsis Coordinator/Quality Improvement Nurse 

Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital 

[email protected] 

Phone: 610-237-4208 

  

1500 Lansdowne Ave. 

Darby, Pa. 19023 

  

STOP SEPSIS, SAVE A LIFE! 

  



From: Lisa Blount 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 10:42 AM 
To: Sarah Pashchuk < [email protected] >; Tracey Melhuish < 
[email protected] >; Tawnia M. Iwasinski < 
[email protected] >; Karla A. Cleveland < 
[email protected] >; HQTH DISGROUP SEPSIS COORDINATORS DG U < 
[email protected] > 
Subject: RE: Lactate question 

  

Hi Everyone, 

      The CMS specs manual clearly states for abstraction and passing the 
measure you must take the Lactic Acid closest to the time of severe sepsis.  
This can and does cause fall outs really easily and has for us when the repeat 
has to be considered the Initial by CMS standards.  The new specs manual for 
January-July 2019 discharges has new criteria for the lactate. 

      And Melanie is correct, if you have an order for an antibiotic sooner 
than 950, you can take that as documentation of infection, and possibly your 
severe time could be closer to the first drawn lactic acid. 

Thanks, 

  

Lisa Blount RN 

Sepsis Coordinator 

Quality Performance Specialist 

Mercy Medical Center Clinton 

1410 N 4 th St 

Clinton, Ia 52732 

563-244-3763 

[email protected] 

  

  



From: Sarah Pashchuk [ mailto:[email protected] ] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 9:40 AM 
To: Tracey Melhuish; Tawnia M. Iwasinski; Karla A. Cleveland; HQTH DISGROUP 
SEPSIS COORDINATORS DG U 
Subject: RE: Lactate question 

  

Infection was not documented until 0950. Without that piece of information, you 
don’t have Severe Sepsis. Once you have Severe Sepsis presentation at 0950, you 
would go by the lactate closest to presentation as the initial, which happens 
to be the 1201 draw in this scenario. Our organization has found this causes a 
fair number of repeat lactate fallouts, because typically you do not draw more 
than the initial 2 (although many places trend until less than 2). So, if the 
lactate is drawn “too early” in comparison with when infection is documented, 
it ends up skewing your data. This is a helpful conversation, I appreciate all 
the input. 

  

Thanks, 

  

Sarah Pashchuk, BSN, RN, CPAN 
Quality Improvement Advisor 

Sepsis Coordinator 
St. Joseph’s Health 

  

[email protected] 
W  315.448.6504 
C   315.256.1687 

F   315.448.6402 

  

301 Prospect Avenue 
Syracuse, NY 13203 

  

sjhsyr.org | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn 



  

  

  

  

  

  



From: Tracey Melhuish < [email protected] > 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 10:32 AM 
To: Tawnia M. Iwasinski < [email protected] >; Karla A. Cleveland < 
[email protected] >; HQTH DISGROUP SEPSIS COORDINATORS DG U < 
[email protected] > 
Subject: RE: Lactate question 

  

Why the second one and not the first? 

  

You have SIRS with organ dysfunction 

  


  

Tracey Melhuish MSN, RN, CCRN 
Clinical Practice Specialist/Sepsis Coordinator 
Clinical Practice                      
Holy Cross Hospital 
Phone: 954-229-7916 
Cisco Ph: 954-229-8829 
Email: [email protected] 

A Member of Trinity Health, operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy 





  



From: Tawnia M. Iwasinski 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 10:18 AM 
To: Karla A. Cleveland; HQTH DISGROUP SEPSIS COORDINATORS DG U 
Subject: RE: Lactate question 

  

Good morning, 


  

I would like to say to use the one from 0609 BUT I have written down from a 
forum I came across that you are to use the lactate drawn CLOSEST to the Severe 
Sepsis presentation time, even if it is the 2 nd one drawn.  This seems not 
right to me because it was the first one that triggered the repeat draw and 
therefore could cause a fallout if a third one is not drawn (to be the repeat 
draw).  Is this where your confusion comes from also?  I'm wondering if this is 
correct?  Sorry to add to your confusion, I am confused on this too! 

  

Tawnia Iwasinski RN,BSN 

  

Tawnia Iwasinski RN, BSN 
Clinical QI Coordinator/Sepsis coordinator 
Trinity Health Of New England 

[email protected] 

W  413-748-9606 

Mercy Medical Center 

271 Carew Street 

Springfield, MA 01104 

MercyCares.com 

  

TrinityHealthOfNE.org | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

  



  



From: Karla A. Cleveland 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 9:37 AM 
To: HQTH DISGROUP SEPSIS COORDINATORS DG U 
Subject: Lactate question 

  

Good morning, 

  

I'll give you the scenario and then tell you what I'm struggling with. J 

  

Criteria for meeting severe: 

Documented infection at 0950 

SIRS at 0600 & 0645 

Organ dysfunction at 0609 (lactate of 3.0) 

Time of severe = 0950 

  

Here's my struggle… 

Lactate 3.0 at 0609 (this is my organ dysfunction) 

Lactate 2.8 at 1201 (this is closer to time of severe) 

  

Which one is my initial lactate? 

Can I have a lactate used as organ dysfunction that is NOT my initial lactate? 

  

Thank you in advance for your feedback. 

  

Karla Cleveland , BS, RN 
Coordinator , Quality Assurance 

Quality and Care Transformation 
Mercy Health 

A Member of Trinity Health 

[email protected] 
W   231.672.2221 

F  231.672.3965 

1560 E. Sherman Blvd, Suite 334 
Muskegon, MI 49444 

MercyHealth.com | Facebook | Twitter 

cid:[email protected]

  


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