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Working life: 'I have the humbling experience of listening to a septic shock survivor'

Sat, 12 Sep, 2020 - 06:00

Catherine Shanahan

Mary Bedding, RCSI Hospitals sepsis assistant director of nursing (ADON)

5am

Up, shower and breakfast. A hectic day ahead as it’s World Sepsis Awareness Day on Sunday and I’m excited about the opportunity to increase awareness and knowledge of sepsis.

6.15am

First tweets of the day.

8am

First stop, one of my hospitals with a full World Sepsis Day programme. I present on the National Sepsis Programme’s journey since 2015 – it’s incredible to see the impact of the programme, which thanks to increased awareness and the hard work of frontline staff, has seen a reduction in sepsis-related mortality.

I have the humbling experience of listening to a septic shock survivor who recounts their ICU experience and subsequent recovery, including the chronic health issues encountered after sepsis.

9.45am

Off to my next site. I meet Sepsis Champions who have toured wards raising awareness of sepsis among staff.

We explain that sepsis is the body’s abnormal response to infection that results in the immune system attacking its own tissues and organs.

Early recognition of the signs is vital to increase the chance of survival.

Symptoms include confusion or drowsiness, shivering/fever, extreme breathlessness or racing heart, extreme pains in joints and muscles, passing little/no urine, discoloured skin and feeling like you’re going to die.

It is vital to seek medical help quickly as currently, one in five sepsis cases die.

Mary Bedding, RCSI Hospitals sepsis assistant director of nursing. Photograph Moya Nolan

1.15pm

After lunch, I join the staff at a sepsis awareness stand. There is always a great buzz with a huge amount of interest from both staff and the public.

These events are always enjoyable and are hugely important to increase sepsis awareness because in Ireland in 2018 there were 14,639 cases of sepsis and septic

shock.

3pm

Off to my last hospital for one final sepsis event presenting to staff and awarding the prizes for staff activities during the day.

6pm

Head home, dinner and spend an hour on Twitter sharing some of our work and generally increasing awareness of sepsis.

8.30pm

Time to wind down and reflect on a long day which has been very fulfilling. I take great pride in the commitment, innovation, enthusiasm and hard work that is always demonstrated by so many during Sepsis Awareness Month. I look forward to doing it all again tomorrow.