Assessment and management of adult patients with neutropenic sepsis in the emergency department

Leloch, Daniella Elizabeth

Abstract

As cancer diagnoses rise, and more treatment options become available, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals will increasingly encounter more patients with acute oncological emergencies in the emergency department (ED). Neutropenia (low levels of neutrophils in the blood) is a common side effect of systemic anti-cancer therapy, particularly chemotherapy, and has a negative effect on patients' immune system, leaving them vulnerable to infection. Patients who develop neutropenia are at increased risk of developing neutropenic sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition that requires urgent assessment and treatment within an hour of presentation. This article describes the risk factors for and signs and symptoms of neutropenic sepsis and outlines assessment and management of patients who present to the ED with this condition.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 13, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Feb 16, 2023
• Publication Date: Sep 5, 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 12, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 20, 2023
• Journal: Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
• Print ISSN: 1354-5752
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-8984
• Publisher: RCN Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 22-26
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7748/en.2023.e2159
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11103727