The role of the critical care nurse in the assessment and management of the patient with severe sepsis.

Sepsis with acute organ dysfunction is common, frequently fatal, and expensive. The critical care nurse is involved in the continuous bedside care of the critically ill patient; consequently, he or she has the opportunity to prevent sepsis through infection control practices and general nursing care, to identify patients at risk for the disease, to monitor these patients for the clinical signs of sepsis, and to detect developing organ dysfunction as a manifestation of severe sepsis. In addition, the nurse is responsible for monitoring the patient's response to organ support measures and specific antisepsis interventions. The role of the critical care nurse in the assessment and management of severe sepsis is significant and can greatly improve outcomes for the patient with this disease. Drotrecogin alfa (activated) is a promising new therapy in the treatment of severe sepsis. Nurses caring for patients with this disease need to understand the issues related to the administration of drotrecogin alfa (activated) and the monitoring of patients receiving this drug to promote optimal and appropriate use of this innovative therapy.