Desenvolvimento e Implementação de Recurso Educacional, Protocolo Assistencial e Tecnologia Digital para Manejo de Sepse em Hospital Ensino

Abstract

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and represents a major public health problem. Early recognition of sepsis in the emergency department is essential to reduce adverse outcomes, as delays in diagnosis and initiation of treatment are directly associated with worse prognoses. The aim of this study was to develop a structured sepsis training program integrating health education, an institutional clinical protocol, and digital technology for the multidisciplinary team working in the emergency department of a teaching hospital in southern Brazil. This was a methodological and quasi-experimental study divided into three stages: (1) validation of the Sepsis Protocol; (2) implementation of the training program and assessment of sepsis-related knowledge; and (3) development and validation of a clinical decision support software. The Sepsis Protocol was validated by members of the Hospital Infection Control Committee, achieving a global Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.992. A total of 135 emergency department professionals participated in the training program. Sepsis-related knowledge was assessed using a structured 10-item questionnaire administered before and after the educational intervention. Before training, the overall mean score was 4.43 points (44.3%), with a median of 4 correct answers. After the intervention, the mean score increased to 6.61 points (66.1%), with a median of 6 correct answers. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients. The Sepse Hum software was developed as a web-based platform and made available at https://sepsedin.vercel.app/. The system was based on the institutional Sepsis Protocol and features a simple, objective, and user-friendly interface, allowing rapid navigation and application during patient care. In cases with positive sepsis screening, the software guides the assessment of organ dysfunctions, assists in diagnostic confirmation, and provides recommended management measures, including serial reassessments. System usability was evaluated by physicians and nurses working in the emergency department, achieving a mean score of 93.65 points (standard deviation ± 13.12) on the System Usability Scale, indicating excellent usability. This study demonstrated that the integration of continuing education, an institutional clinical protocol, and digital technology is a feasible, innovative, and potentially effective strategy to improve the early recognition and management of sepsis in the emergency setting.