Sepsis
Recognise possible infection with deterioration and follow the appropriate age- and pregnancy-specific pathway.
Clinical learning outcomes: Awaiting named clinical review.
What you should learn
- Assess possible infection and identify features needing urgent escalation.
- Explain how risk assessment guides investigations, treatment and reassessment.
Recognise and explain
- Know that adult, child and pregnancy pathways differ; a single bundle does not fit every patient.
On your placement
Agree the activity and supervision with the clinical team. For patient-facing learning, seek permission and respect the patient’s comfort and care needs.
- Take an infection history and review observations with a clinician.
- For one patient, discuss the applicable risk pathway and local antimicrobial guidance.
- Review a blood gas or lactate result in context and follow the response to treatment.
Observe and understand
- Observe escalation for persistent shock and source-control planning.
Observation does not establish competence to perform these activities.
Start here
MLA: assess, act and reassess
Rehearse recognising deterioration and communicating the immediate concern before discussing the sepsis case.
Current guidance
NICE NG253: suspected sepsis, age 16 and over
Review recognition, risk assessment and early management for people aged 16 and over; pregnancy and younger children have separate guidance.
NICE NG254: suspected sepsis in under 16s
Use the age-specific assessment and escalation sections for children under 16; do not substitute an adult score.
NICE NG255: suspected sepsis in pregnancy and after pregnancy
Review recognition and escalation in pregnancy or recent pregnancy with the team; this is a separate sepsis pathway.
Discuss
Assessing suspected sepsis
Recognise concerning infection-related deterioration without relying on fever, then use current risk-based management and repeated review.
On your next shift
For one patient, explain why the clinician chose the urgency of treatment and next review.
How this relates to GMC graduate outcomes and the MLA
These are St Emlyn’s learning connections, not a claim that this page covers every national requirement.
Presentations and conditions: Fever; Deteriorating patient.
Clinical and professional capabilities: Assessment and clinical reasoning; Recognising limits and seeking help.
St Emlyn’s interpretation of relevant GMC graduate outcomes and MLA themes; these are summary labels, not official topic codes or a complete curriculum.
Explore the student placement programme
Student practice and graduate expectations
About this resource and its review
A St Emlyn’s guide to learning Emergency Medicine during undergraduate placements. It is not an official medical-school or GMC curriculum. Your medical school’s curriculum and assessment requirements take precedence.
National foundations: GMC Outcomes for Graduates, the practical-skills supplement and the MLA content map applying from September 2026.
Framework checked: 8 October 2026. This is a source check, not clinical sign-off.
Clinical learning outcomes: awaiting named clinical review.
The four learning routes are St Emlyn’s groupings. The six interconnected MLA domains remain part of the official content map.