There are 750,000 cases of severe sepsis every year in North America, of which nearly 50% will develop acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Data suggest that the incidence of severe sepsis, given the aging population of North America, will double over the next 25 or 30 years, resulting in enormous implications for resource allocation and utilization. 

During this conference, a multiprofessional team of experts will present the latest research and information about sepsis-related respiratory failure, and will provide an overview of the new 2012 sepsis guidelines and bundles. Participants will explore the pathophysiology of sepsis, methods for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), strategies for providing nutrition support, ventilator and non-ventilator methods of treating refractory hypoxemia, and more.  

Advance your understanding of sepsis-related respiratory failure and gain effective strategies for developing, implementing and executing protocols for managing the condition.

View the course agenda.

Intended Audience:
This program is intended to meet the needs of any healthcare provider involved in the care of critically ill patients or who have an interest in learning more about assessing, diagnosing, treating, and monitoring the patient with respiratory sepsis.  These clinicians include the following:

• Physicians
• Physician Assistants
• Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Specialists, Staff ICU Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Respiratory Therapists
• Rehabilitation Therapists (PT, OT, etc.)

Type of Activity
This activity is intended to provide you with strategies for identifying and rapidly applying interventions to promote a significant and sustainable decrease in deaths related to sepsis-related respiratory failure.

Program Education Objectives
At the conclusion of this conference, participants should be able to:

1. Discuss the pathophysiology of sepsis-related respiratory failure
2. Formulate a plan to identify sepsis early in the clinical course to limit organ dysfunction
3. Define consequences of late identification of sepsis
4. Interpret the 2012 sepsis guidelines as they translate to their associated bundles by correlating them to applications for clinical practice
5. Analyze the various methods of oxygen delivery in patients with ARDS/ALI
6. Identify methods to diagnose, treat and prevent VAP
7. Describe the approach to conventional mechanical ventilation in patients with sepsis-related respiratory failure
8. Apply quality performance measures to track VAP and deliver feedback
9. Compare ventilator and non-ventilator-related strategies to address refractory hypoxemia
10. Compare and contrast the differences between adult and pediatric needs for fluid resuscitation
11. Discuss the roles of strategies to improve nutrition and oxygen delivery in patients with sepsis
12. Describe the benefits and approaches to early mobilization in mechanically ventilated patients
13. Demonstrate approaches to ventilator liberation
14. Review the long-term outcome of sepsis survivors

Competencies
SCCM supports recommendations that will promote life-long learning through continuing education. SCCM promotes activities that encourage the highest quality in education that will enhance knowledge, competence or performance in critical care practice.  This activity will meet the following:

• Clinical Knowledge
• Practice Applications
• Communication
• Multiprofessionalism and Teamwork