How do we Change?

Kurt Lewin's Model of Change: Unfreezing, Changing, Refreezing

Stage 1: Unfreezing

This stage is about getting ready to change. It involves getting to a point of understanding that change is necessary, and getting ready to move away from our current comfort zone.

Stage 2: Change

The second stage involves transitioning. Transition is the inner movement or journey we make in reaction to a change. This second stage occurs as we make the changes that are needed.

Stage 3: Freezing (or Refreezing)

This stage is about establishing stability once the changes have been made. The changes are accepted and become the new norm. People form new relationships and become comfortable with their routines. This can take time.

(Change-Management-Coach, 2010)

What is Sepsis?

"Sepsis can be defined as the body's response to an infection. An infection is caused by microorganisms or "germs" (usually bacteria) invading the body, and can be limited to a particular body region (eg, a tooth abscess) or can be widespread in the bloodstream (often called "septicemia" or "blood poisoning").  Sepsis is a medical emergency just like a heart attack or a stroke because there is an interruption of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues including the vital organs such as the brain, intestines, liver, kidneys and lungs."

- Surviving Sepsis Campaign, 2008

How does Change Relate to Sepsis?

Sepsis can affect people of any age and can be frightening because it can lead to serious complications that affect the kidneys, lungs, brain, and hearing, and can even cause death. Sometimes sepsis is difficult to recognize and treat early as it can present in many different ways.  By creating better awareness of sepsis and changing the current procedures we hope that sepsis will be identified earlier and there will be a decrease in unnecessary deaths.

Who is at risk?

"Although everyone from an infant to an adult is at potential risk of developing sepsis from common infections (eg, flu, urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, etc.), sepsis is most likely to develop in people who:

• Are very young (eg, premature babies) or very old
• Have a weakened ("compromised") immune system, often because of treatments such as chemotherapy for cancer, steroids (eg, cortisone) for inflammatory conditions, etc.
• Have wounds or injuries, such as those from burns, a car crash, or a bullet
• Have certain addictive habits, such as alcohol or drugs
• Are receiving certain treatments or examinations (eg, intravenous catheters[a small tube for dripping fluids into the vein], wound drainage, urinary catheters [a small tube inserted into the bladder]
• Are more prone to develop sepsis than others because of genetic factors (or their "genes")

Patients who are admitted to the hospital with serious diseases are at the highest risk
of developing sepsis because of:

• Their underlying disease
• Their previous use of antibiotics
• The presence of drug-resistant bacteria in the hospital
• The fact that they often require an intravenous tube, urinary catheter, or wound drainage

The infection leading to sepsis can be acquired outside the hospital (known as "community-acquired") or in the hospital (known as "nosocomial"). Hospital-acquired infections are generally more difficult to manage than those acquired in the community, because:

• The infecting microorganism is more dangerous to the patient
• The patient is often already sick
• The microorganism may be resistant to common treatments
  due to the widespread use of antibiotics in hospitals"

- Surviving Sepsis Campaign, 2008

How Deadly is Sepsis?

Signs and Symptoms

"Sepsis patients generally have the following symptoms:

• Fever (ie, high body temperature), often associated with shaking chills, especially in the early phase. However in some cases there is no fever, and patients may even have an abnormally low body temperature ("hypothermia"), especially if they are young or old
• Difficulty with breathing ("hyperventilation" or rapid breathing), that may result in shortness of breath
• Warm skin, sometimes associated with a skin rash
• Rapid heart beat ("tachycardia")
• General weakness"

-Surviving Sepsis Campaign, 2008

Progression of Sepsis