Empowering Sepsis Survivors: Developing Patient & Family Education and Discharge Plans

Stephanie Taylor, MD, MS, is Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Taylor’s research interests focus on applying health services methods and pragmatic clinical trials to advance the learning hospital system and improve outcomes for patients with sepsis. She is the principal investigator of multiple NIH-funded studies evaluating optimal care strategies for sepsis survivors.

Sandra Kleier is a registered nurse with 32 years of experience working in-patient in pediatrics, medical/surgical, and geri-psych and outpatient in long-term care and clinical care doing phone triage. Although medically retired, she continues to maintain her license in good standing. Sandra is a sepsis survivor, having endured sepsis 12 times over nine years; twice resulting in septic shock. She lives in rural eastern Kansas with her husband Ron, her mother Betty, and their 3 dogs and 11 cats. Ron and Sandra share 6 children and 13 grandchildren. To repurpose her life, Sandra ran for office and is Treasurer for the local Township board. She also joined with her high school classmates, following the death of one’s son, to start a non-profit to give scholarships to graduating Seniors at their Alma Mater. These students might not otherwise qualify for traditional scholarships but are still deserving of one, in memory of their gone but not forgotten classmates or a child of a classmate. In early 2022, Sandra, with other passionate peers, volunteered with Sepsis Alliance to begin a pilot program for sepsis survivors, caregivers of sepsis survivors, and for those who’ve lost a loved one to sepsis. Sepsis Alliance Connect was born on June 28, 2022. Sandra is a facilitator for two Sepsis Survivor Support Groups via zoom per month and has participated in several recorded programs.