Date of Conferral

11-21-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Camilla Jaekel

Abstract

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that requires rapid identification and treatment. Delays in administering antibiotics are directly associated with increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher complication rates. Without intervention, patients faced preventable harm, and the organization risked continued non-compliance with federal quality measures. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project implemented a structured educational program for emergency department (ED) nurses to improve knowledge of evidence-based sepsis protocols. The practice-focused question asked: For nurses in the ED, will an educational intervention on sepsis recognition and antibiotic stewardship improve knowledge of timely antibiotic administration and blood culture acquisition? Twenty ED nurses completed the program. Pre-test scores averaged 80%, whereas post-test scores increased to 99%, demonstrating a 19-percentage point gain in knowledge scores. This gain represents more than academic progress, it reflects potentially the capacity for nurses to identify sepsis earlier, administer antibiotics promptly, and prevent deterioration. The findings confirm that staff education is a powerful and sustainable intervention for increasing staff knowledge, leading to reducing treatment delays and improving patient outcomes. Standardized education has potential to ensures that all patients, regardless of background or socioeconomic status, receive equitable, high-quality treatment, while also equipping a diverse nursing workforce with the skills needed to provide culturally competent and inclusive care.

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