Raising Awareness of Sepsis: A Call to Action for Prevention and Education [virtual]

Includes a Live Web Event on 04/12/2026 at 10:30 AM (EDT)

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection and a leading cause of death and costly hospitalizations in the United States, disproportionately affecting older adults. This presentation will explore differences between community- and hospital-acquired sepsis, its pathophysiology, and the physical and cognitive challenges survivors often face. Through case examples and educational resources from a sepsis nurse expert, attendees will gain tools to raise awareness, recognize early signs, and improve patient outcomes across the continuum of care. 

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to:  

  • Describe the incidence, mortality, and cost burden of sepsis, differentiating between community-acquired and hospital-acquired cases 
  • Explain the pathophysiology of sepsis, including its progression from sepsis to severe sepsis and septic shock, and identify early signs and symptoms 
  • Discuss the impact of sepsis on vulnerable populations, especially older adults, including long-term functional, cognitive, and psychological effects 
  • Analyze the role of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in sepsis and evaluate prevention strategies to reduce infection risk 
  • Apply sepsis screening tools and care bundles in clinical practice while identifying resources and strategies to empower patients, caregivers, and health care professionals in sepsis awareness, prevention, and management  

Contact Hours: 1
CRNI® RUs: 2

Claudia Orth, BSN, RN

Director, Professional Education & Training

Sepsis Alliance

Claudia Orth, BSN, RN, earned her BSN from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and has over 20 years of experience working as a registered nurse in critical care, clinical quality, patient safety, and sepsis.

In her role as the Director of Professional Education and Training, she oversees all health care professional education programming and activities, including the newly relaunched Sepsis Alliance Institute, which encompasses the online, free to join, Sepsis Alliance Institute Learning Management System (LMS) and the Sepsis Alliance Institute clinical community, where health care professionals can learn, share resources, and engage in peer-to-peer networking and clinical discussions.

Prior to joining Sepsis Alliance, Ms Orth spent 9 years serving as the inaugural Sepsis Coordinator for northern Michigan’s largest health system. In that role she collaborated with multi-disciplinary stakeholders to implement a robust sepsis program and developed evidence-based electronic early warning alerts, screening tools, and order sets. She also led system-wide didactic, and high- and low-fidelity simulation education, and performed data abstraction and data analysis to identify key performance improvement opportunities for the organization.

In her free time, she loves watching her 2 children play sports, spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, and taking advantage of all the beautiful bodies of water and surrounding nature that northern Michigan has to offer.

Only available as part of a package

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Webcast
Live event: 04/12/2026 at 10:30 AM (EDT) You must register to access.
Virtual Session Evaluation
The purpose of the Education Program Evaluation is to enable INS to evaluate each educational session and provide feedback to the speaker. You must register to access.
Certificate
You must register to access.