The Sepsis Alliance https://www.sepsis.org and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) https://phe.gov/about/barda/pages/default.aspx announced their free virtual training module called Disaster Medicine: Sepsis https://sepsisinitiative.org/disastermed funded by BARDA is available.
Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and dysregulated response to infection. Without rapid diagnosis and treatment, sepsis can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Every year sepsis affects 1.7 million people and takes 270,000 lives in the U.S. Sepsis remains a top cost in U.S hospitalizations and a top cause of death in U.S hospitals.
Since low resource clinical settings established in response to disasters are often without access to resources such as laboratory testing. As a result, healthcare providers may have greater than usual challenges in recognizing sepsis and not be able to respond quickly.
The module was developed in response to traditional disaster medicine trainings which largely lack education as to how to recognize and manage sepsis patients in disaster settings. The training module will aid in the assessment, screening, stabilization, and evacuation of sepsis patients in disaster situations such as in the case of earthquakes, hurricanes, fires or floods.
Housed at the Sepsis Alliance Institute, the training aims to equip emergency and disaster medical personnel including first responders, on-site clinical providers, federal and state government staff, emergency planners, facility managers, and occupational health and safety personnel with the tools necessary to understand the fundamentals of sepsis, recognize sepsis in the field, and then be able to rapidly care for those exhibiting signs and symptoms.
Kimberly Sciarretta, BARDA Solving Sepsis Program Manager, “We are excited to launch this training presented by U.S government medical doctors with the expertise and experience from ICUs and the field, to aid all medical responders in improving patient outcomes.”