Nurses must avoid assuming infection based only on confusion, odor, cloudy urine, or nonspecific decline. Assess the full resident condition and follow facility criteria/provider orders.
UTI Monitoring
Assess dysuria, frequency, urgency, suprapubic pain, flank pain, fever, hematuria, new/worsening urinary symptoms, catheter-related symptoms, hydration, and baseline cognition.
Respiratory Infection Monitoring
Assess cough, sputum, shortness of breath, oxygen saturation, lung sounds, fever, respiratory rate, chest pain, fatigue, and change from baseline.
Sepsis Recognition
CDC identifies sepsis as the body’s extreme response to infection and a life-threatening emergency. Signs may include clammy/sweaty skin, confusion or disorientation, extreme pain or discomfort, fever/shivering/feeling very cold, high heart rate or weak pulse, and shortness of breath. CDC also notes that nursing home residents are at risk for infections that can lead to sepsis and that nursing homes should evaluate policies, training, screening, identification, care coordination, tracking, and infection prevention practices.