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Emergencies and resuscitation

How to recognize sepsis

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)EMS (NREMT)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

Sepsis is an emergency. Early recognition and antibiotics save lives.

Step by step

  1. Suspect infection

    Fever or low temperature, source symptoms. [1]

  2. Look for organ dysfunction

    Fast breathing (22 or more), confusion, systolic pressure 100 or less, low urine, mottled skin. [1]

  3. Act fast

    Lactate, blood cultures before antibiotics if no delay. [1]

  4. Antibiotics

    Within an hour for likely septic shock. [1]

  5. Fluids

    For low blood pressure or high lactate, per protocol (often 30 mL/kg crystalloid). [1]

  6. Reassess

    Blood pressure, urine, mental status; pressors if low despite fluids. [1]

Common errors

Practice it in Making Synapses

In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

Making Synapses cases that train this skill

Sources

  1. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
  2. NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
  3. NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)

Facts and steps follow NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines; NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.