Meet Claudia and Ellen, an unlikely duo who became great friends. Plagued by health problems, Claudia has had multiple hospitalizations over the past year, making her the perfect candidate for the Gundersen Health System Community Paramedic Program. With the goal of keeping Claudia healthy and able to stay at home, Ellen began making frequent visits to her home in January.
On Jan. 3, Ellen received a message from Claudia’s husband, requesting an early visit, as he was concerned that she was not feeling well. At the visit, Ellen’s gut told her something was off, even though Claudia’s labs and vital signs were normal. Not feeling comfortable leaving, Ellen took her time getting ready to leave. Suddenly, Claudia began to have trouble breathing and began declining rapidly. Ellen quickly jumped into action, grabbing the CPAP from the work vehicle and starting IVs, all while waiting for the ambulance to come. Claudia ended up being admitted to the hospital but credits her quick recovery to Ellen’s interventions back at the house.
Once discharged, Ellen continued to follow Claudia and make home visits. Shortly after returning home, Claudia began to complain of urinary tract infection symptoms. Knowing Claudia had previously been hospitalized with sepsis and was at high risk to become septic again, Ellen was immediately concerned. After talking to the primary care provider, Ellen was able to obtain a urine sample and send it to the lab, saving Claudia a trip to the clinic. The sample was positive; Claudia had another infection. This time, however, the infection had been caught early enough that Claudia didn’t need to go back to the hospital. Ellen was able to coordinate antibiotics to treat the infection, preventing Claudia from another hospital stay.
Ellen continued to see Claudia until she successfully graduated from the Community Paramedic Program. During that time, they worked to get Claudia set up with a care coordinator to help manage her health needs and stay successfully in her home. While Ellen no longer makes visits to Claudia’s house, Claudia knows Ellen is just a phone call away if she ever needs her. To this day, Claudia credits Ellen with saving her life back in January and helping to prevent further hospitalizations!
Is sepsis contagious?
You can’t spread sepsis to other people. However, an infection can lead to sepsis, and you can spread some infections to other people.
What causes sepsis?
Infections put you and your family at risk for sepsis. When germs get into a person’s body, they can cause an infection. If you don’t stop that infection, it can cause sepsis. Bacterial infections cause most cases of sepsis. Sepsis can also be a result of other infections, including viral infections, such as COVID-19 or influenza, or fungal infections.
Who is at risk?
-
Adults 65+ years old
-
People with weakened immune systems
-
People with chronic health conditions like diabetes, lung or kidney disease, or cancer
-
People with recent hospitalizations or severe illness
-
People who have survived sepsis
How can you prevent sepsis?
-
Prevent infections. Talk to your doctor or nurse about steps to prevent infections.
-
Practice good hygiene. Remember to wash your hands and keep cuts clean and covered until healed.
-
Know the symptoms. Symptoms of sepsis can include any combination of these:
- S – Shivering or fevers
-
E – Extreme pain
-
P – Pale, clammy skin
-
S – Sleepy, disoriented, confused
- I – “I feel like I might die.”
-
S – Suddenly short of breath
-
Act fast. Get medical care IMMEDIATELY if you suspect sepsis or have an infection that is not getting better or is worsening.