Results of testing the Newborn Scale of Sepsis (SOS-CZ) for evaluating the risk of sepsis in newborns

Summary

Based on a systematic analysis of literary sources, professionally licensed and freely accessible databases making it possible to evaluate the risk of sepsis in newborns via scoring systems, it was found that nurses in the Czech Republic do not have a tool to determine the potential risk of sepsis in newborns. There are a number of evaluation and measurement tools to determine the prediction of the severity of the illness and prognosis for child patients. Most of these evaluation techniques, however, have not been modified for the neonatal period. The vast majority of these scoring systems are time consuming for quick assessments. This paper presents the results of an investigation aimed at verifying the usability of a neonatal scale for assessing the risk of sepsis (SOS-CZ), which is the Czech version of the Newborn Scale of Sepsis (SOS). The author of the original model Lorraine Rubarth has granted permission to use SOS for our research and the subsequent possibility of using the scale in CR. The author also gave written copyright permission to use a modified version of the questionnaire SOS-CZ Rabasová, Sikorová. The modified version of the SOS-CZ scale was subjected to investigation by the method of experiment in two perinatal centers in the Czech Republic (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital Ostrava and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Olomouc) and in the Perinatology Center at Martin University Hospital in Slovakia. The sample numbered 188 newborns and 63 paramedical staff. From the total of 188 newborns, sepsis was confirmed in 32 neonates. The average total score in neonates with confirmed sepsis (n 32) is 16, and 6 for newborns without confirmed sepsis (n 156). The results obtained show that the test is able to indicate a low risk of developing sepsis in neonates.

Keywords:
scale – sepsis – newborn – evaluation