Clinical Tips

That's more than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and AIDS combined. Most of them saw a healthcare provider before they

| Criterion | Threshold | Points | |-----------|-----------|--------| | RR Respiratory Rate | ≥22/min | 1 | | MIND Alte

"That's her baseline" — Is it? Any CHANGE from baseline counts. "He's just tired" — New lethargy = altered mentation. "

1. Lactate — quantifies tissue hypoperfusion 2. Blood cultures — before antibiotics if possible 3. Broad-spectrum antib

Reality: Many septic patients are afebrile. Some are hypothermic — which is actually WORSE. qSOFA doesn't include tem

BP: 102/68, HR: 94, Temp: 38.4°C Vitals look "acceptable." But lactate: 4.2 mmol/L The resident says: "Let's recheck i

qSOFA <2 means the patient is not in the HIGHEST risk category. It does NOT mean they're safe. Use qSOFA to identify w

Reality: Tachypnea in infection reflects compensation for metabolic acidosis from tissue hypoperfusion RR is often th

Half of missed cases are due to incorrect technique — not the condition hiding, but the nurse not looking properly. 30

5 = 5 minutes supine before baseline allows cardiovascular equilibrium 1 = Measure at 1 minute standing catches immedia

S — Supine 5 minutes first non-negotiable T — Take baseline BP and HR A — Ask about symptoms at EVERY measurement N — N

Reality: Classic and delayed OH occur between 30 seconds and 3+ minutes A 1-minute reading alone misses up to 50% of