Nurses have a key role in the early assessment and management of sepsis, which is crucial for optimal quality of care and better patient outcomes. However, sepsis in critical care patients is underrecognized and untreated due to nurses’ poor knowledge, attitudes, practice, and decision-making skills related to sepsis assessment and management.
This study aimed to test the effectiveness of branching simulations in improving nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, practices, and decision-making related to sepsis assessment and management.
This experimental study was conducted on a convenience sample of 70 nurses (35 nurses in each of the intervention and control groups) with at least one year of experience working in an emergency room at a university hospital. The nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices were measured using a knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey, whilst their decision-making modes were assessed using the Nursing Decision-Making Instrument.
Compared to the control group, a significant improvement in practices (F  = 10.77, p = 0.002, η = 0.137) and decision-making (F  = 10.68, p = 0.002, η = 0.136) was observed among the nurses in the intervention group both immediately and two weeks post the branching simulations intervention. Compared to the baseline data, a significant improvement in knowledge (F  = 27.93, p < 0.001, η = 0.291), practices (F  = 41.00, p < 0.001, η = 0.376), and decision-making modes (F  = 29.15, p < 0.001, η = 0.300) was observed both immediately and two weeks post branching simulations only among the nurses in the intervention group.
Education programs integrated with an interactive strategy of learning (branching simulations) can improve nurses’ knowledge, attitude, practice, and decision-making related to sepsis assessment and management. Therefore, continuous education and professional training programs following an evidence-based intervention protocol/guideline are recommended for better nurse and patient outcomes.

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