Speaking To Patients

Speaking to patients and family members about sepsis is one of the most important things healthcare professionals can do. It can be difficult to find the right approach to discuss the immediate and long-term effects of the condition because sepsis is still not well known or understood.

Sepsis Alliance provides information and resources that can be used by any healthcare professional to help with patient education. Selected downloadable and printable resources can be found at the bottom of the page, with more found in the Resource Library. All downloads are free of charge. If you are looking for professional resources and training, please visit Sepsis Alliance Institute.

The resources found here may also be helpful for patients and family members who have not received such information when they were hospitalized or being discharged.

Website Resources

If you are looking for ways to speak with patients and family members about sepsis, here are some website resources that may help:

  • Sepsis Basics: This top menu bar section has links to information like What is Sepsis, Risk Factors, Symptoms, and more.
  • Related Conditions: The Sepsis and library addresses over 50 conditions and other circumstances that are somehow connected to sepsis.
  • FAQs: Sepsis Alliance has collected many of the most frequently asked questions about sepsis.
  • Caregivers: You may find it helpful to give the Caregiver Guide to the patient’s loved ones so they have a better idea of what is happening. Caregivers can also join Sepsis Alliance Connect to find support from others.
  • Children: Sepsis Alliance also has resources for children, both for those who have sepsis and for their siblings or other young relatives and friends. Bug, Sepsis Alliance’s friendly ladybug, helps young children understand infections and how to prevent them.
  • Post-sepsis syndrome: Many sepsis survivors are left with lasting effects from their illness, including chronic fatigue, depression, and symptoms of PTSD. Post-sepsis syndrome (PSS) is becoming more known in the medical community, but still too many healthcare providers don’t know about or understand the issues related to PSS.
  • Support for Survivors and Loved Ones: Sepsis Alliance Connect is a virtual support community designed for the millions of people personally affected by sepsis.
  • Multi-Language Resources: Sepsis Alliance has selected resources available in Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese, and Vietnamese. The sepsis.org website can also be translated into multiple languages by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears on the bottom right corner of every website page.

Updated February 10, 2025.

Downloadable and Printable Resources

When a Loved One Has Sepsis: A Caregiver’s Guide
Guide
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Sepsis Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet
PreviewDownload
Sepsis Alliance Connect Printable Flyer
Infographic
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Tienes Sepsis. Ahora ¿Qué Sigue?
Information Guide
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Tienes Sepsis. Ahora ¿Qué Sigue?

  • To submit this form you are required to enter your first name, last name, a valid email address and your role.

  • Submit

You Have Sepsis. Now What? (for children)
Information Guide
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You Have Sepsis. Now What? (for children)

  • To submit this form you are required to enter your first name, last name, a valid email address and your role.

  • Submit

Life After Sepsis – Español
Information Guide
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Life After Sepsis – Español

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Life After Sepsis
Trifold
PreviewDigitalPrint

Life After Sepsis

My Guide to Sepsis and the Intensive Care Unit – Children
Information Guide
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My Guide to Sepsis and the Intensive Care Unit – Children

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After Discharge Checklist
Checklist
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Life After Sepsis
Information Guide
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Life After Sepsis

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Life After Sepsis
Video
View
Life After Sepsis Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet
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For additional free downloadable and printable resources, visit the Sepsis Alliance Resource Library.

Sepsis Alliance Institute

Are you looking to connect with other healthcare professionals to see how they communicate with the public? Or you want to learn more about managing sepsis?

Elevate your sepsis care with education, resources, and peer-to-peer networking. Sepsis Alliance Institute provides online sepsis education including best practices in sepsis recognition, treatment, and care. There are training modules and webinars (live and recorded), many with free RN CE credits.

Faces of Sepsis

Bianca A.

In August of last year, I began to experience the typical symptoms of a urinary tract infection. As a physician assistant by trade, I felt I should do my due diligence to nip this in the bud. I went to my PCP as soon as I could for a urine sample (which was abnormal), culture, and first-line antibiotic. Two days later, my symptoms had gotten worse, and I felt a bit “off” and feverish. I did not have a true fever, so I called the office. They sent in a broader antibiotic and warned me to go to the ER ... Read Full Story

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Braxton Bumgarner

Braxton is a 13-year-old 7th grader. 5 months ago on August 1, 2024, he said his knee hurt. The next day, it hurt worse, so his Dad took him to urgent care. The doctor basically told him he didn’t really know what pain was even though he said it was a 10. My husband asked if it could be an infection and he said no, he wasn’t showing any signs, even though he never did anything other than an x-ray. He told us to rotate Motrin and Tylenol for the pain. 2 days later we took him to our local ... Read Full Story

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Lisa Harmon

Last year, in 2024, I began to have low-grade fevers (around 99 degrees). I felt sluggish and tired all the time. I could not get in to see my doctor because these fevers were short lived. Then I began having episodes where my temperature went up to 104. I was vomiting and very sick. I went to the ER after I felt well enough to go, but still felt sick. By then, my temperature was down to 102. They ran tests and found it was not covid or the flu, but I was not admitted. They thought it was a ... Read Full Story

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Paul Hoium

On December 10 2023, I started feeling a little short of breath and very tired and weak. Since I also have congestive heart failure, I was monitoring these symptoms closely. Things worsened over the next couple of days until the 12th on which date I realized I could barely breathe and so weak I could barely make it to the phone to call for an ambulance. I remember the firefighters lifting me on to a gurney and into the ambulance and them talking about my O2 level being 79 and that would prove to be the last coherent memory I ... Read Full Story

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Ky Reynolds

2014 Entered hospital via emergency Due to septic shock causing multi-organ dysfunction. 2 weeks in coma 5 weeks in ICU 2 weeks in renal ward 10 years later still suffer from almost all post-sepsis symptoms and this is the first I have heard of this. I have and still am struggling so much to just live a normal life. Hopefully the information will point me in the right direction for management Read Full Story

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