Sepsis for the Advanced Practice Provider

Sue Sirianni DNP ACNP-BC ANP-BC CCRN is the SICU Lead Nurse Practitioner at the Detroit Medical Center Sinai-Grace Hospital.  She practices with the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) service where she manages critically ill and injured patients along with the SICU resident team.. 

Dr. Sirianni’s DNP research was based on improving sepsis care across the DMC adult hospitals by improving application of the Sepsis guidelines. Her research resulted in improved time to antibiotics, decreased time to obtaining blood cultures and improvement of obtaining lactic acid. She is the hospital sepsis lead and has helped the hospital achieve a sepsis mortality rate of just over 10% by ensuring application of evidence-based practice.  She has lectured extensively on the management of sepsis for a variety of different providers. She also started the first ever public awareness program with Dr. Palleschi in Michigan.

Maria Teresa Palleschi DNP RN APRN-BC CCRN is a Nurse Practitioner and Director of Patient Care Services at Harper / Hutzel Hospital and Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. She received her Bachelor of Science in nursing degree and Masters of Science in nursing from Wayne State University and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Madonna University.  Dr. Palleschi has forty two years of experience in critical care nursing with 22 of those years as an advanced practice nurse. Currently, she is the Director of Patient Care Services, including sepsis, stroke, and Magnet programs. She has facilitated the development and implementation of many programs and protocols at the Detroit Medical Center including sepsis care, the epidural pain service, early mobility, palliative care, prevention of hospital acquired infections, ICU pain, analgesia, and delirium protocol, as well as pressure injury prevention and management strategies. Throughout her career, she has facilitated staff involvement in the exploration and implementation of evidence based practice at the bedside. She is an advisor for multiple shared decision making councils including critical and acute care professional nurse councils. She was the co-chair of the Detroit Medical Center Critical Care Committee for over 8 years and serves as an advisor for multiple shared decision making councils in acute and critical care. She has presented her work at many conferences across the nation and in Canada. Her doctoral research project entailed improving bundle compliance for sepsis care at four adult hospitals.  Along with her research partner Dr. Sue Sirianni, Dr. Palleschi advocates for increasing public awareness of sepsis and is one of the founding members of Michigan Stomp Out Sepsis.  Through their efforts and in collaboration with the Michigan Hospital Association, sepsis walks and fund raising events occur at multiple sites across Michigan and in Ontario.  Dr. Palleschi is currently a member of American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau, and Society of Critical Care Medicine.  She serviced as an adjunct professor and clinical preceptor at Michigan State University and the University of Detroit-Mercy and also precepts DNP students from multiple local and national universities.