What Do Sepsis Patients Need? Sepsis Survivors Discuss at World Sepsis Congress 2021
On April 22, Aurica Pripa, coordinator of the ESA Patients and Family Support WG, moderated the session “The Missing Stories: Families and Survivors of Sepsis and COVID-19” at the World Sepsis Congress 2021. This moving discussion amongst some resilient and brave people who shared their stories of surviving sepsis or COVID-19 has shown that:
Education and empowerment of the general public is key. People need to know about sepsis, act on this knowledge, and advocate for themselves and their families. Sepsis needs to be known by its name and mainstreamed. Healthcare practitioners need to be (re)trained to know how to spot sepsis as early as possible and act fast and coordinated. They must rule sepsis IN before ruling it OUT.
A culture change in healthcare is required so that families and patients are treated as partners. Empathic communication is the key: listening actively, not downplaying symptoms, taking patients and family members seriously. Patient-centered care and the ICU/hospitals should become the norm.
Holistic post-sepsis/long-covid rehabilitation and aftercare is required, being deeply conscious of people who are living with these syndromes and disabilities.
All the panelists believe that this pandemic is a key moment in human history and an opportunity to fight for a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable society.
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