Ch 15 Signs & Symptoms Flashcards
Signs & Symptoms of Septicemia, Bacteremia, & Toxemia
Fever, Chills, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, & Malaise.
Septic Shock can develop rapidly.
Small hemorrhagic lesions called Petechiae can develop.
Osteomyelitis occurs if bacteria invades the bones.
Osteomyelitis =
Inflammation/ swelling of the bone
Toxemia symptoms vary depending on-
The toxin
Released from microbes =
Exotoxins
Released from gram-negative bacteria (Like Lipid A) =
Endotoxin
Septicemia & Toxemia are caused by-
Various bacteria
Septicemia & Toxemia can be -
Gram-Negative or Gram-Positive
Septicemia & Toxemia are usually-
Opportunistic or Healthcare-Associated Infections
Septicemia is most often caused by-
Gram-Negative Bacteria
1 in 3 patients in a hospital who dies, has this.
Sepsis
What abbreviation can help you remember what to look out for whenever it comes to sepsis?
“It’s about TIME”
Temp (Higher/Lower than normal)
Infection
Mental Decline (Confused, Sleepy, Lethargic)
Extremely Ill (Severe Pain, Discomfort, SOB)
Regular Sepsis Signs + Symptoms =
TIME
Severe Sepsis occurs when-
One or more organs become damaged
What are the Signs + Symptoms of Severe Sepsis?
Changes in skin color.
Oliguria.
Heart Dysrhythmia.
Dizziness/ Light Headedness.
Chills.
Difficulty Breathing.
Extreme Weakness.
Occurs when BP drops too low=
Septic Shock
Signs + Symptoms of Septic Shock =
Tachycardia.
Dizziness/ Light-Headedness.
Lower than normal body temp.
Tachypnea.
How are Septicemia, Bacteremia, and Toxemia usually treated?
Prompt Diagnosis + Administration of Antimicrobial Drugs
If sepsis is suspected, how can you definitively diagnose it?
Blood Labs
Why is aseptic technique important when drawing blood from a potential Septic PT?
So cultures don’t get contaminated with normal skin flora microbes
When drawing blood from a potential Septic PT, what kinds of bottles do you use, how many mL per bottle, how many bottles each per draw?
~10 mL of blood should be gathered with each blood draw.
Draw for Anaerobic Bottles + Aerobic Bottles.
(Every time you draw, you get a different bottle. By the time you’re done, you should have 2 Anaerobic bottles + 2 Aerobic Bottles with ~10 mL of blood each)
