Septic Shock

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Causes

Signs/Symptoms

Care

Risks

IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE HOSPITAL...

What to Expect While You're There

• Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats), and respirations (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is taken by wrapping a cuff around your arm.
• Oxygen: Your body may need extra oxygen at this time. It is given either by a mask or nasal prongs. Tell the doctor if the oxygen is drying out your nose or if the nasal prongs are bothersome.
• Pulse Oximeter: While getting oxygen, you may be hooked up to a pulse oximeter (ox-IM-ih-ter). It is placed on an ear, finger, or toe and is connected to a machine that measures the oxygen in the blood.
• IV: A tube placed in the vein for giving medicine or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to it.
• Blood: Usually taken from a vein in a hand or from the bend in an elbow. Tests will be done on the blood.
• Blood Gases: For this test blood is taken from an artery in a wrist, elbow, or groin. It is tested for oxygen.
• ET Tube: This tube is passed through either the mouth or nose and down into the windpipe. It is often hooked up to a breathing machine. With the tube in place, you will not be able to talk.
• Ventilator (VENT-ih-lay-ter): A special machine used to help with breathing. This will help you save energy that your body needs to get better.
• Chest X-ray: This picture of the lungs and heart shows how they are handling the illness.
• ECG: Also called a heart monitor, an electrocardiograph (e-LEK-tro-CAR-dee-o-graf), or EKG. The patches on your chest are hooked up to a TV-type screen or a small portable box (telemetry unit). This screen shows a tracing of each heartbeat. The heart will be watched for signs of injury or damage that could be related to the illness.
• Foley Catheter: This tube drains urine from the bladder until you can urinate on your own.
• Coughing and Deep Breathing: It is important to do this often because it helps keep the lungs from getting infected.
  • To ease the pain during coughing and deep breathing, a 6 inch elastic bandage can be loosely wrapped around the rib cage.
  • Holding a pillow tightly against the chest when coughing can help ease any pain.
• Medicines:
  • Antibiotics will be used to fight the infection. They may be given by IV, in a shot, or by mouth.
  • Blood pressure medicine may be given through your IV in order to bring your blood pressure up to normal. Once the infection is under control and the body can take care of itself, this medicine can be stopped.
• Heart Tubes/Wires: You may be attached to many different tubes and wires. Some may enter your body under the collarbone or in the groin and be threaded into the heart. They are attached to monitors that measure the heart while it's working. These readings help the doctor guide your treatment.