Reducing mortality due to severe sepsis requires an organized process that guarantees early recognition and consistent application of evidence-based practices. The Severe Sepsis Bundles are a series of therapies that, when implemented together, achieve better outcomes than when implemented individually.

There are two sepsis bundles. Each bundle articulates requirements for specific timeframes.

• Sepsis Resuscitation Bundle: Evidence-based goals that must be completed within 6 hours for patients with severe sepsis, septic shock and/or lactate > 4 mmol/L (36 mg/dl).

• Sepsis Management Bundle: Evidence-based goals that must be completed within 24 hours for patients with severe sepsis, septic shock and/or lactate > 4 mmol/L (36 mg/dl).

For patients with severe sepsis, as many as seven Sepsis Resuscitation Bundle elements may be necessary to accomplish within the first 6 hours of presentation, and as many as four Sepsis Management Bundle elements must be accomplished within the first 24 hours of presentation. Some items may not be completed if the clinical conditions described in the bundle do not prevail, but clinicians must assess for those conditions and make a determination. The intention in applying the bundle is to perform all indicated tasks 100 percent of the time within the first 6 hours of identification of severe sepsis.