Improvements in compliance with resuscitation bundles and achievement of end points after an educational program on the management of severe sepsis and septic shock

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine whether an educational program could improve compliance with resuscitation bundles and the outcomes of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock and to evaluate which resuscitation bundle end points were associated with in-hospital mortality. This was a retrospective observational study of 366 patients (163 of historical controls and 203 of treatment patients) with severe sepsis or septic shock who presented to the emergency department between May 2007 and July 2009. Compliance with resuscitation bundles and achievement of the corresponding end points were compared before and after the 3-month educational program. Compliance with central line insertion and monitoring of central venous pressure (29% vs. 67%, P < 0.001) and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂) (25% vs. 68%, P < 0.001) was significantly improved after the educational program. The achievement of target ScvO₂ within the first 6 h was significantly improved (62% vs. 88%, P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was independently associated with adequate fluid challenge (odds ratio [OR], 0.161; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.046-0.559) and the achievement of target mean arterial pressure (OR, 0.056; 95% CI, 0.008-0.384) and ScvO₂ (OR, 0.251; 95% CI, 0.072-0.875) among the five sepsis resuscitation bundles. In conclusion, an educational program can improve compliance with resuscitation bundles and achievement of their corresponding end points.