Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner (AOCNP) Certification Practice Test

Which assessment tool is preferred to assess sepsis risk in oncology patients?

1. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE)

2. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA)

3. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)

4. Multi-Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS)

The correct answer is: Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA)

The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) is the preferred tool for assessing sepsis risk in oncology patients due to its focus on the extent of organ dysfunction rather than just the presence of infection. SOFA provides a structured way to evaluate the patient's physiological parameters, such as respiratory, cardiovascular, hepatic, coagulation, renal, and neurological functions. This is particularly important in oncology patients, who often have complex health statuses due to their cancer and treatments, including chemotherapy, which can predispose them to multiple organ dysfunctions. SOFA's scoring system allows clinicians to monitor changes in organ function over time, thus enabling timely and appropriate interventions. It is more sensitive in detecting early deterioration of patient conditions compared to other tools, making it better suited for the evolving nature of sepsis in cancer patients. In contrast, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) is generally more complex and may not be specifically tailored for sepsis assessment in oncology. The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria outline features of systemic inflammation but do not provide a comprehensive assessment of organ function, while the Multi-Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) describes organ impairment in a more generalized way without the specific scoring for timely assessment and intervention that SOFA provides