Improving Sepsis Prevention and Early Detection in Immunocompromised Patients Through Targeted Nursing Interventions

Aldina Tafa, Verrazzano Class of 2026, completed major in Nursing and Psychology, and minors in English Linguistics and Speech Language Pathology

Working on my capstone project became one of the most meaningful academic undertakings of my nursing education. When I first began this project, I knew sepsis was a critical issue in healthcare, but I had not yet understood the extreme vulnerability of immunocompromised patients or how consistently their early symptoms can be overlooked. As I progressed through the literature and developed my analysis, I realized how crucial nurses truly are in bridging the gap between early recognition, prevention, and lifesaving intervention. The process changed the way I view nursing practice, health equity, and my own role as a future clinician.

One of the most important things I learned through this project was how different sepsis looks in immunocompromised populations. Many patients do not present with the “classic” signs that nurses are traditionally taught to look for, no fever, no elevated white blood cell count, and often no obvious signs of infection. Understanding these atypical presentations deepened my appreciation for the complexity of nursing assessment and the level of critical thinking required to protect high-risk patients. I learned that early detection is not just about following a set of guidelines; it requires situational awareness, strong clinical judgment, and a willingness to question whether something subtle might actually be the first sign of a life-threatening decline.

This project also taught me how essential prevention truly is. Much of the existing literature focuses on treatment, what to do once sepsis is already present, but preventing it from occurring in the first place is where nurses have the greatest potential to save lives. As I reviewed studies from 2020–2025, I found myself becoming increasingly passionate about hand hygiene initiatives, aseptic technique, early warning tools, and patient education. It was eye-opening to realize how many infections are preventable, and that something as “simple” as consistent hand hygiene can literally cut the risk of sepsis in half for immunocompromised patients. Working through the evidence reinforced how powerful nursing interventions are, even when they seem routine or basic.

A major part of this capstone experience was collaborating closely with my mentor, who encouraged me to dig deeper into the policy and systemic side of sepsis prevention. Through her guidance, I learned how research connects to real-world nursing practice, hospital protocols, and national initiatives like the CDC’s Sepsis Core Elements. It helped me see how bedside nurses contribute not only to individual patient outcomes but also to broader quality improvement and institutional change. This mentorship made the project feel personal, meaningful, and tied to my future role in nursing leadership.

If I were to continue developing this research, I would want to build a project that examines sepsis prevention directly within clinical environments, particularly in oncology units, transplant floors, and long-term care facilities, where immunocompromised patients are cared for daily. I would also like to explore how technology, such as machine-learning prediction models, can be integrated into nursing workflows to support earlier recognition of subtle symptoms.

Another area worth expanding is patient and family education: creating clear, accessible tools that teach high-risk individuals how to identify early infection signs before a hospital visit.