Adult sepsis pathways
Sepsis should be considered in any setting where patients present with an acute illness or display acute clinical deterioration. Adult Sepsis Pathways help guide the appropriate recognition and treatment for sepsis and have been shown to improve adult patient outcomes.
The use of sepsis pathways as clinical decision support tools aligns with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Sepsis Clinical Care Standard quality statements ensuring time-critical management of sepsis.
Choosing which pathway to use - adult or paediatric
Use an adult pathway for patients 18 years of age and older.
For patients aged 16-18 years, either a paediatric or adult sepsis pathway can be used at the discretion of the treating clinician and local guidelines.
All sepsis pathways listed on this webpage are for use with adults except for the following paediatric sepsis pathways and resources.
Paediatric sepsis pathways and resources
- Clinical guidelines and tools for sepsis in children (paediatric sepsis)
- Paediatric Sepsis Checklist for Parents (PDF, 1.3MB)
- Sepsis information in languages other than English
- Learn more about sepsis in children.
Emergency Department Sepsis (Non-Pregnant) Pathway
Emergency Department (ED) Adult (non-pregnant) Sepsis Pathways are currently available to order on WINC. These ED sepsis pathways are in use across all Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) in Queensland.
ED pathways are available for use in:
- tertiary and secondary facilities
- rural and remote facilities.
The clinical content within both pathways is the same. The difference is the escalation advice for the rural and remote pathway which includes a prompt for patient transfer and retrieval. Read the instructions for ordering the ED sepsis pathway via WINC.
ED antimicrobial guidelines
The ED Adult Sepsis Pathways are available with and without antimicrobial prescribing and administration guidelines to use as an adjunct to the pathway. Different antimicrobial guidance is provided for tropical and non-tropical regions and low and high MRSA regions across Queensland. These guidelines have been developed to reflect the local epidemiology of antimicrobial-resistant infections in three different regions of Queensland in accordance with the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines.
Implementing the ED Adult Sepsis Pathway within your hospital or health service
The following staff education resources are provided to support the implementation of the ED Adult Sepsis Pathway and for new staff training:
- ED Adult Sepsis Pathway Factsheet (PDF 652 kB) - provides background on the intended use of the ED Adult Sepsis Pathway and links to relevant key documents
- ED Adult Sepsis Pathway frequently asked questions (PDF 283 kB) - provides background on the development of the sepsis pathway, antibiotic prescribing and WINC ordering information
- How to use the ED Adult Sepsis Pathway educational video - staff are strongly encouraged to watch the video before using the pathway
- Adult Sepsis eLearning online module (iLearn login required) - completion of this eLearning module is recommended for all staff before implementation of the sepsis pathway within a new clinical area
- Adult sepsis clinical lanyard (PDF 939 kB) - a prompt for staff to identify and screen for sepsis (WINC1NY43802, statewide order number SW1254)
How to order the ED Non-Pregnant Adult Sepsis Pathway
The tables below outline the different ED pathway options available for order. Eight versions of the ED pathway are available and include:
- six pathway versions which include the two pathway options (rural and remote, tertiary and secondary) plus different antibiotic prescribing options for three regions (topical/non-tropical, high/low MRSA)
- two 2-page versions of the pathway (rural and remote, tertiary and secondary) which do not have the antibiotic prescribing and administration guidelines attached
Use the Adult Sepsis Pathway flowchart (PDF 85 kB) to select the most appropriate pathway for your facility.
Use the relevant WINC order code to order through your organisation’s WINC account. If your organisation does not have a WINC account, you will need to create one before placing an order. Provide your local supply person/business service manager with the appropriate statewide barcode number and WINC listed so they can order in S/4HANA to purchase the forms. Forms have a fixed unit price which includes delivery.
Order small quantities (e.g. 3 months’ supply) as an initial order to ensure you have the correct version for your facility and as these pathways are currently being updated.
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Pathway content is the same for these forms. The difference is the antimicrobial guideline options.
Sepsis pathway
Version
Statewide barcode number
WINC code
Number of forms per pack
1
SW890
1NY37704
100
1
SW891
1NY37705
100
1
SW892
1NY37706
100
1
SW893
1NY37707
100
-
Form name
Version
Statewide barcode number
WINC code
Number of forms per pack
1
SW929
1NY37708
50
1
SW930
1NY37709
50
1
SW931
1NY37710
50
1
SW932
1NY37711
50
Adult Sepsis Pathways under development
Following the successful Adult Maternal Sepsis Pathway trial at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (January to June 2023), the Queensland Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Network has endorsed rolling out a maternal sepsis pathway for use across Queensland.
An Inpatient Non-Pregnant Adult Sepsis Pathway was trialled in 33 inpatient wards from 17 facilities across eight Hospital and Health Services (June 2023 to September 2023) and received General Medicine and Queensland Surgical Services Statewide Clinical Networks endorsement for statewide rollout.
Given the minimal clinical differences noted across the ED, Inpatient, Maternal and Rural and Remote sepsis pathways in June 2024, the Queensland Sepsis Program medical leads recommended all pathways be amalgamated into a single Adult Sepsis Pathway, which is in the final stages of development.
This paper pathway amalgamation aligns with the Digital Sepsis Pathway Project which will uplift the Adult Sepsis Pathway into the digital electronic medical record (ieMR). This digital project commenced in May 2024 and is led by eHealth Queensland in partnership with Oracle Cerner. This project is due for completion in May 2025.
For more information about using the Adult Sepsis Pathways, or for enquiries from facilities external to Queensland Health, please email sepsis@health.qld.gov.au.
Sepsis information to give to patients, families or carers
Patient information about the signs and symptoms of sepsis is available on the Queensland Government website.
The Patient Information Sheet (SW1050) (PDF 666 kB) is available for order from WINC (code 1NY37712). It is intended to be given to patients who have presented with an infection but do not have sepsis. The factsheet outlines the signs and symptoms of sepsis, provides information on how to prevent sepsis and instructions on what to do if symptoms deteriorate.
This information is important for high-risk community groups including:
- newborns and young children
- people with poor immune systems
- older people
- people who are pregnant or have just given birth
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- people treated for cancer with chemotherapy
- people with complex health conditions
- people with burns, wounds or injuries
- people with COVID-19
- people previously been diagnosed with sepsis.
For more information about the adult sepsis pathways, email sepsis@health.qld.gov.au.