Progressive Care Nursing Certification (PCCN) Practice Exam

Which criteria defines sepsis in a patient?

1. Temperature more than 100.4F (38C) or less than 96.8F (36C)

2. WBC less than 4,000 or greater than 12,000 with documented infection

3. Both of the above

4. Change in mental status or decreased urine output

The correct answer is: Both of the above

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. The criteria that guide the diagnosis of sepsis include clinical indicators and laboratory findings that reflect the body's overwhelmed response to infection. Both criteria mentioned in the question are significant in this context. A temperature outside the normal range, either above 100.4°F (38°C) or below 96.8°F (36°C), indicates a physiological response to infection or an inability to maintain normothermia, which is common in sepsis. This can be part of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria that are traditionally used in evaluating sepsis. Additionally, a white blood cell (WBC) count that is either less than 4,000 or greater than 12,000 cells/microliter is also indicative of a possible infectious process affecting the immune system. Elevated or diminished WBC counts in the presence of a documented infection is a key laboratory finding that can confirm the suspicion of sepsis. In many clinical definitions of sepsis, both the temperature abnormalities and white blood cell count alterations are utilized to assess the patient's condition, making the combination of these two criteria essential for accurate diagnosis. Hence, recognizing that both aspects are relevant leads