Sepsis is the body’s over-reaction to an infection or injury, which causes the immune system to attack its own organs and tissues. It affects 245,000 people every year in the UK and kills 48,000 (Rudd et al, 2020) — more than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined. This ‘hidden killer’ is responsible for one in five deaths worldwide — 11 million a year (Rudd et al, 2020). If not treated quickly as a medical emergency, sepsis can result in organ failure, amputation and death in under 24 hours (Royal College of Nursing [RCN], 2021). However, with early diagnosis, it can often be treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics and fluids, and the outlook is usually good for the majority of patients who seek urgent medical attention.