Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Commons^™

Sepsis Pathophysiology, Samantha Kingsley

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is one of the most common diagnoses in medical intensive care units (MICUs) worldwide. Sepsis is a medical emergency where prompt intervention is vital to promoting positive patient outcomes. Septic shock develops when sepsis has progressed to the point of persistent hypotension despite appropriate fluid resuscitation. It is important to recognize the early signs of sepsis and intervene to prevent further progression. As the understanding of the pathophysiology has developed further over the years, the treatments and outcomes associated with sepsis have also improved. However, prompt recognition and intervention have always been at the forefront of management and should …

Gram-Negative Bacteria And Sepsis, Christine D. Ridge

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Today’s medical world encompasses an environment in which gram-negative bacteria that once were defeated with common antibiotics, have now become resistant. Gram-negative bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter, and Acinetobacter are pathogens that are an emerging threat causing sepsis due to multidrug-resistance (Pop-Vicas & Opal, 2014, p.189). The multidrug-resistance mechanisms of gram-negative bacteria coupled with a patient population commonly seen in hospital settings, that consist of immunocompromised adults due to advancing age, comorbidities (e.g. AIDS, history of transplants, diabetes, and chemotherapy), and immunotherapies, create an environment for advanced infection or sepsis to take place.

Complications of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria …

Prevalence Of Sepsis In Pediatric Populations, Brittany Barnes

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis and more specifically septic shock in the pediatric population is a diagnosis that is full of complexities. There are instances where a neutropenic oncology patient observes a better outcome than a previously healthy patient who is suffering from the same pathogen related sepsis. Sepsis is the 10th leading cause of death according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and each year between 20,000 and 42,000 children are diagnosed with severe sepsis (Riley & Wheeler, 2012). Even with significant advances in medical treatment, sepsis is still associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. A retrospective study of patient …

Identifying Acute Organ Dysfunction As A Marker Of Severe Sepsis, Daniell Mcsweeney

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

The current definition of sepsis is suspected or documented infection plus at least one systemic manifestation of infection. Severe sepsis has been defined as sepsis plus evidence of organ dysfunction. Identifying acute organ dysfunction is a marker of severe sepsis. This topic was chosen after witnessing a number a patients fall into septic shock before severe sepsis was diagnosed and treatment initiated. Diagnosis of severe sepsis is important for specific protocol to be implemented in a timely fashion. The current differentiation between sepsis and severe sepsis is evidence of organ dysfunction. There are many examples of organ dysfunction that are …

Lyme Disease: A Tick’S Risky Bite, Jana Keller

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection transmitted primarily by the deer tick and is commonly seen in the United States. It is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is a spirochete (Pearson, 2014). Lyme disease’s prevalence is confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions whom estimates that 30,000 people per year are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the Unites States (Moore, 2015). It is imperative that primary health care workers (such as Nurse Practitioners) are familiar with this disease and the early signs and symptoms. If early signs and symptoms go unnoticed or misdiagnosed …

Lyme Disease, Jared Hostetler

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Lyme disease is the most common vector borne illness found in the United States. Each year 30,000 people are diagnosed with the disease, with many more cases going unreported (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The vector responsible for spreading the disease is the deer tick. The infection itself is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is transmitted through the saliva from the bite of a deer tick. Diagnosis can be challenging due to the fact that multiple systems of the body can be affected with different severities. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical in the prevention …

The Importance Of Evaluation And Management Of Sepsis, Severe Sepsis, And Septic Shock, Katherine Herda

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is a life-threatening and complicated host response to the presence of infection that is affecting millions of individuals around the world each year (Dellinger et al., 2013, p. 583). According to Gray et al. (2013), sepsis is not only one of the primary causes of hospital admission but it is also a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide (p. 397). Severe sepsis and septic shock are the more advanced and detrimental stages of sepsis, which are starting to increase in incidence and are killing one in four (and sometimes more) individuals infected (Dellinger et al., 2013, p. 583). …

Clostridium Difficile, Kristen Johnson

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Clostridium difficile (CD) is an infectious disease that has a direct impact on our healthcare resources. “Clostridium difficile, an anaerobic, spore forming, toxin-forming, gram-positive bacillus, has become the leading cause of health care—associated infectious diarrhea (Walters & Zuckerbraun, 2014, p. 329).” I chose this topic because CD is a hypervirulent organism that is not only affecting hospitalized patients but is now emerging as a community acquired infection. Healthcare treatments and costs are on the rise due to persistent and recurrent CD infections. Understanding the pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnostic testing, and management strategies are important in reducing the spread of CD …

Tuberculosis, Lindsay Mackey

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and mostly affects the lungs and sometimes other organs such as the kidneys, spine, and brain (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). In 2013, the CDC (2015) estimated that approximately 9 million people were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis worldwide and approximately 1.5 million deaths were a result of TB. Tuberculosis is an airborne infection which can be spread through the air from an infected individuals cough, sneeze, or speech. Individuals infected with TB can either have latent or active stage. Latent TB is when an individual becomes infected …

The Pathophysiology Of Sepsis, Rachel Hamilton

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is still a leading cause of hospital admissions and often leads to death if not identified early and treated properly (Pilcher, Cooper & Bellomo, 2015). In the US there are approximately 200,000 deaths annually due to sepsis (Puskarich, Illich, & Jones, 2014). It is important for advance practice nurses to recognize risk factors for sepsis. By understanding the pathophysiology of sepsis nurse practitioners will be able to recognize early signs and symptoms of this inflammatory disease process and implement early medical management. Early medical treatment in septic patients is crucial to increase patient survival rates.

Sepsis & Emergency Management, Sharon Herndon

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection and a leading cause of death in the United States (Cawcutt & Peters, 2014). Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to invading microorganisms. Sagy, Al-Qaquu, and Kim (2013) define sepsis in three categories. “Sepsis” would be defined as the presence of infection along with other general systemic signs and symptoms. “Severe Sepsis” would be defined as sepsis complicated by at least one organ dysfunction, and “Septic Shock” would be defined as severe sepsis with acute circulatory failure that may be characterized by persistent arterial hypotension unexplained by other causes. …

Necrotizing Fasciitis, Holly Herron

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Necrotizing fasciitis also known as necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) is a rare life-threatening infection that involves the skin and soft tissue. A rapid and accurate diagnosis of NSTIs must be identified by healthcare providers to diminish morbidity and mortality. NSTIs are characterized by progressive necrosis of subcutaneous tissue and fascia involving large areas of tissue (Lin, Chang, Lai, Lin, & Chen, 2013). Hippocrates (500 BC) described necrotizing fasciitis as “diffuse erysipelas caused by trivial accidents [where] flesh, sinews, and bones fell away in large quantities, [leading to] death in many cases” (Lancerotto, Tocco, Salmaso, Vindigni & Bassetto, 2012). In …

Necrotizing Fasciitis: The “Flesh Eating” Disease, John Neukam

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Necrotizing fasciitis, often referred to as the “flesh-eating disease”, is a rare bacterial infection with an extremely high mortality rate with symptoms that begin subtle but can quickly ravish the human body.1 While the prevalence of this disease is relatively low, evidence of this disease can be traced back as far as the 5th century BC where it was initially described by Hippocrates.2 It wasn’t until 1952 however that Dr. Bob Wilson termed the disease “necrotizing fasciitis”.3 The rapid progression of this disease and the acute deterioration it causes in a patient is extremely intriguing. This “flesh-eating disease” can present …

Enterococcus Faecalis Endocarditis: A Case Study, Torri Curtis

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Infectious endocarditis is an uncommon disease of the heart stemming from a bacterial or fungal infection on the endocardial surface of the heart or heart valve (Pierce, Calkins, & Thornton, 2012). From review of the literature, infective endocarditis is fairly uncommon and may be difficult to initially diagnose. Per Sabe, Shrestha, and Menon, occurrence of infective endocarditis (IE) is nearly 0.9-6.2 per 100,000 persons per year (2013). Several preexisting conditions such as aging, heart valve disease, implantable cardiac devices, a history of heart disease such as rheumatic fever, and invasive procedures can put a patient at higher risk for IE …