Effect of Education on Resident Physician Knowledge of Sepsis

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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A questionnaire was provided, including clinical vignettes and free text answers, to assess and evaluate the ability of resident physicians to identify systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, and severe sepsis. Questionnaire scores were compared between specialties. A whole-hospital educational campaign was provided with the aim to improve sepsis recognition, and the questionnaire survey was repeated after one year to assess the effect of the education on the recognition of sepsis.

Detailed Description
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Sepsis is the number one cause of mortality in US hospitals. An aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of resident physicians with different training backgrounds to recognize SIRS, sepsis, and severe sepsis. A survey assessment of the definition of SIRS, sepsis, and severe sepsis was administered to internal medicine, emergency room, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and general surgery residents. Then, an intensive educational campaign designed to improve recognition of the patient with sepsis was launched. For approximately 1 year, posters with this educational information were displayed in the hospital, one-on-one educational sessions were provided to residents, and didactic sessions focusing on sepsis were conducted. The survey was then redesigned and administered it to the same groups as described previously.

Official Title
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Effect of Education on Resident Physician Knowledge of Sepsis

Conditions
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Sepsis, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Sepsis Education


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Resident physician in an University of Utah training program Exclusion Criteria: Not willing to participate

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Internal Medicine Residents<br>Sepsis education provided to internal medicine residents | Other: Sepsis Education<br>* Education provided to hospital residents for the recognition and treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis and severe sepsis<br>|
| Other: Emergency Medicine Residents<br>Sepsis education provided to emergency medicine residents | Other: Sepsis Education<br>* Education provided to hospital residents for the recognition and treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis and severe sepsis<br>|
| Other: Orthopedic Residents<br>Sepsis education provided to orthopedic residents | Other: Sepsis Education<br>* Education provided to hospital residents for the recognition and treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis and severe sepsis<br>|
| Other: Neurosurgery Residents<br>Sepsis education provided to neurosurgery residents | Other: Sepsis Education<br>* Education provided to hospital residents for the recognition and treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis and severe sepsis<br>|
| Other: General Surgery Residents<br>Sepsis education provided to general surgery residents | Other: Sepsis Education<br>* Education provided to hospital residents for the recognition and treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis and severe sepsis<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in sepsis recognition and treatment survey score | Questionnaire scores assessing sepsis recognition and treatment at baseline compared to a similar survey following one year of whole-hospital educational campaign, across groups of residents of different training backgrounds | Baseline and 1 Year |