Sepsis recognition and first hour
PLAB pack: emergency SBA
Theory
Theory 1: Station focus
Sepsis stations test early recognition, immediate treatment bundle and escalation.
- Fever or hypothermia.
- Hypotension, tachypnoea, confusion or reduced urine.
- Likely infection source.
Theory 2: Reasoning path
Unstable infection requires immediate sepsis pathway, not delayed diagnostic discussion.
- Identify the immediate risk.
- Choose the safest first action.
- Explain why the distractors are weaker.
Theory 3: Expected output
The candidate should identify sepsis risk, start first-hour actions and escalate.
- ABCDE and sepsis screen.
- Cultures, antibiotics, fluids and lactate.
- Senior escalation.
Vocabulary and model dialogue
Nurse: The patient is febrile, confused and hypotensive.
Candidate: This is sepsis risk. I will start the pathway and call senior help now.
Nurse: What should we do first?
Practice
Practice 1: Stem analysis
A confused febrile patient has BP 85/50, RR 28 and suspected pneumonia.
Output: Age, timing, symptoms, vital risk and one missing question.Practice 2: First action
Choose the first safe action: Start sepsis pathway and call senior help immediately.
Output: One action plus clinical reason.Practice 3: Differential
Compare Sepsis with shock risk with two alternatives.
Output: Three-line differential table.Practice 4: Exam response
List first-hour sepsis actions and a concise escalation call.
Output: First-hour list + SBAR.Interactive tasks
Interactive 1: Red-flag sort
Sort findings from "Sepsis recognition and first hour" into urgent and non-urgent details.
Interactive 2: Distractor removal
Remove the least plausible option from: Routine outpatient review, Wait for next clinic, No observations needed.
Interactive 3: Timed response
Give a 90-second exam answer using the station output steps.
Quiz
Shock and infection signs require immediate sepsis management and escalation.
The safest answer addresses the immediate clinical risk first.
Exam documentation must record the detail that changes management.
Safe exams include patient understanding and escalation advice.
The station expects a short, defensible clinical chain.