Nova Scotia became the first province to take a big step in the right direction with healthcare. At the same time, the province has introduced new measures to improve detection and treatment of sepsis. This historic agreement marks a first in Canada. It gives frontline emergency room nurses the authority to start antibiotics and IV (intravenous) fluids for any patient that is suspected of having sepsis. This action was taken in response to this very sobering statistic. In Canada, about 18,000 deaths annually are attributable to sepsis, highlighting the need for impactful interventions.
Hubley recounted her tragic experience in 2017, when she contracted necrotizing fasciitis, known as flesh-eating disease, following the traumatic birth of her child at a Halifax hospital. This traumatic incident became the catalyst for monumental changes that ensued. This is why Hubley is a passionate advocate for early detection and timely treatment. Her quality of life expectancy has been cut in half due to complications from septicemia.
“That’s my biggest sadness – years have been taken off my life and that’s not fair. So that’s why early detection is important,” Hubley expressed regarding her ongoing battle with the repercussions of sepsis.
The recent reform couldn’t be a better fit with a 2021 study’s conclusion that. That study demonstrated that a sepsis network averted 981 cases of sepsis and 172 deaths between 2014 and 2018. Over the last 13 years, the British Columbia sepsis network has pioneered initiatives that have made British Columbia a leader in sepsis care. Their disciplined strategies have been shown to achieve superior results.
A passionate champion of these initiatives, Dr. David Sweet, clinical lead of Health Quality BC. He feels they are imperative for reducing the burden of sepsis in Canada. The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s updated sepsis protocols reflect an understanding of the condition’s preventability.
Dr. Alison Fox-Robichaud, scientific director at Sepsis Canada, called the new approach in Nova Scotia “innovative.” She emphasized the importance of immediate treatment in improving patient outcomes: “If it can save lives, and quality of life, why not?”
Despite these advancements, challenges remain evident. The heartbreaking story of Ravinder Sidhu highlights the importance of immediate, accessible care. Sidhu’s death came after a delay of more than 30 hours to get antibiotics. It is a sobering reminder that when sepsis care falls short, the consequences can be dire.
Nurses will receive greater authority to immediately respond if sepsis is suspected. This is an important central element of all the new changes being rolled out. This reconciliation is aimed at moving patients more efficiently through treatment, and ultimately, we hope, will save lives.
Lindsey Hubley, whose son, Connor, died from sepsis at age 15 months, thinks that Canada needs a national action plan on sepsis treatment. Why isn’t the rest of the country totally behind this?” she asked in a recent phone call. Her advocacy, and stories like her own, elucidate the desperate need and lack of systematic changes throughout the country.
Yet beyond those urgent, immediate healthcare responses, Hubley grapples with the emotional toll her experience has taken. One thing that made her weak was when she had to speak about him, she spoke on all the burdens and trauma that her illness brought unto her life. “Her screams are going to be the trauma for my life,” added Gurinder Sidhu, a family member affected by the fallout from delayed treatment.
