Because assuming they’ll take care of all of it is how we fall into healthcare gaps!
When someone you love lands in the hospital with sepsis (a life‑threatening response to infection) every minute counts. Clear, direct questions help the team move fast, spot problems early, and keep you in the loop. 1 in every 3 hospital deaths is sepsis related according to the CDC. With your notebook, use these questions as a guide to speak up with confidence when you’re helping yourself or a loved one through a hospital stay.
- Sepsis Snapshot
- The Questions and Why They Matter
- Tips for Speaking Up
- Just the Questions Bulleted List
- Final Thoughts
- Resources
Quick Sepsis Snapshot
Sepsis happens when the body’s fight against an infection spirals out of control. This response can end up damaging organs like the lungs, kidneys, or heart. Early treatment like antibiotics, IV fluids, oxygen, and close monitoring does save lives. The odds of survival decrease hourly. Once septic shock is reached, mortality rate goes up to 30-50%. Catching it early saves lives. Help your team stay ahead of it!
The Questions and Why They Matter
| Ask This | Why It Matters (Plain‑Talk Version) |
| 1. “Where is the infection?” | Knowing the source (lungs, urinary tract, wound, etc.) guides the right tests and medicines. |
| 2. “What germs do you suspect, and when will we get culture results?” | Cultures identify the exact bug so doctors can fine‑tune antibiotics instead of guessing. |
| 3. “Which antibiotics are you using, and how often will you reassess them?” | Early broad‑spectrum drugs are common, but they should narrow treatment once lab results return. Make sure to write down what they say! |
| 4. “How are you checking for organ damage?” | Sepsis can hurt kidneys, heart, and brain. Regular labs and scans catch trouble quickly. |
| 5. “What is their lactate level, and how is it trending?” | Rising lactate can signal poor blood flow. Watching trends shows if treatment is working. |
| 6. “How much do they weigh today and what is their input and output over the last 24 hours?” | IV fluid is a protocol treatment for sepsis. Too little fluid leaves organs starving; too much can flood the lungs. Daily weight measurements, urine checks, and breathing exams keep balance. |
| 7. “Are there sepsis protocols in place, and is my loved one on them?” | Hospitals follow time‑sensitive sepsis bundles (like antibiotics within 1 hour). Confirm the team is on schedule. Asking about it will help a new RN learn and an old RN remember their basics. |
| 8. “What warning signs should I watch for while I’m visiting?” | Sudden confusion, fast breathing, or pale skin can mean sepsis is worsening. Families often spot changes first. Repeatedly ask your loved one where they are, what the date and time is, and why they’re at the hospital each time you see them. It’ll help prevent delirium. |
| 9. “How will we know when it’s safe to move out of the ICU, or if our care needs to escalate to the ICU?” | Clear criteria (stable blood pressure, lower oxygen needs) prevent risky transfers or delays. |
| 10. “What is the long‑term game plan after discharge?” | Sepsis survivors may need rehab, home nursing, or follow‑up labs. Planning early smooths the path home. Read my posts “Come See Me In Two Weeks,” and “When Being Discharged to Another Facility,” to make sure you’re prepared. |
| 11. If you were in my shoes, what question would you be asking? | This question will always make the provider think in a different way for a moment. It might spark an idea or help them find a gap they hadn’t been focused on. |
Tips for Speaking Up
- Keep a notebook!!! (See my post, “The Notebook,” to understand why this tool is so important.) Jot answers, times, and lab numbers so you can track progress. This is also where you can have all of the questions ready to ask when the medical team does their drive-by check-ins.
- Use the whiteboard. Ask the nurse to list today’s goals and write them on the white board. It’s an easy reference for every shift.
- Bring your notebook every day. New questions will pop up; add them to the notebook so you have them ready for when the medical teams round.
Here’s a quick cut and paste bullet point list for you:
- “Where is the infection?”
- “What germs do you suspect, and when will we get culture results?”
- “Which antibiotics are you using, and how often will you reassess them?”
- “How are you checking for organ damage?”
- “What is their lactate level, and how is it trending?”
- “How much do they weigh today and what is their input and output over the last 24 hours?”
- “Are there sepsis protocols in place, and is my loved one on them?”
- “What warning signs should I watch for while I’m visiting?”
- “How will we know when it’s safe to move out of the ICU, or if our care needs to escalate to the ICU?”
- “What is the long‑term game plan after discharge?”
- “If you were in my shoes, what question would you be asking?”
Final Thought
Sepsis moves fast, but so can you. These questions keep you and the medical team on the same page, closing care gaps before they open. Remember: polite persistence saves lives. The medical team is not perfect but they are well intentioned. They’re doing their current best for your loved one and questions like those above help them to continue to succeed keeping your loved one safe.
I found some great resources while putting this together. The Cleveland Clinic has some great patient material on sepsis. See the site, End Sepsis for a load of information for anyone with questions. They have info for survivors, just sepsis facts, and loads of sepsis specific topics you can peruse in their website footer. And as always, you can reach out to Nurse Derrick as well!
Thank you for reading! Please share this site with anyone you think could benefit from it! What questions do you have? Do you have any suggestions? Or did this bring up any stories you want to share? Reach out to me through the contact page, or leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
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