A simple intervention to improve antibiotic treatment times for neutropenic sepsis

Objectives: Patients with suspected Neutropenic sepsis require rapid antibiotic administration, but despite extensive education, only 67% of patients received antibiotics within 60 minutes. Methods: A Neutropenic Sepsis Alert Card was created, as a Patient Specific Directive – this allows nurses to administer antibiotics to specific patients without prior medical review. Results: Since the intervention, 301 patients presented with suspected neutropenic sepsis. 277 patients (92%) received their first dose of intravenous antibiotics within 1 hour of arrival into hospital, compared to 95 out of 143 patients (67%) presenting between January and June of 2014 (p=0.036). Conclusion: The Neutropenic Sepsis Alert Card can significantly improve door to antibiotic needle time for chemotherapy patients with suspected neutropenic sepsis. This intervention is inexpensive and easily replicable in other health care organisations.