Advancing sepsis prevention through global experience
Sulthan Vettukattil’s nursing journey spans continents, cultures and healthcare systems, bringing a wealth of experience to his clinical practice and research. As a recipient of the Clifford Craig Health Foundation Nurse Scholarship, Sulthan is focused on improving sepsis prevention in aged care facilities - an area he believes is critical to improving outcomes for older patients.
Sulthan began his nursing career in the United Kingdom, working in Barnstaple in the south-west of England with the National Health Service (NHS). The fast-paced NHS environment provided strong foundations in acute care and sharpened his ability to recognise and respond quickly to clinical deterioration. He later moved to Dubai, where he continued to develop his skills within a different healthcare system and multicultural setting.
Several years ago, Sulthan relocated to Tasmania and has been based at Launceston General Hospital (LGH) for the past three years. He currently works in the Acute Medical Unit, caring for patients with complex and often rapidly changing conditions.
“The Acute Medical Unit is a busy area, but not as busy as the UK,” Sulthan says.
He values the strong focus on education at LGH, adding, “We have clinical teaching time which helps us improve the ward-based clinical care.”
Through his work with older patients, Sulthan’s passion for sepsis prevention has grown. Older people are at a significantly higher risk of sepsis, and he frequently sees how quickly their condition can deteriorate if early signs are missed. His Nursing Honours research, titled Sepsis Awareness and Early Recognition in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Tasmania, examines how sepsis is identified and escalated in aged care settings across the state.
Using a mixed-methods approach, Sulthan’s study will assess staff knowledge through a quantitative survey and explore real-world barriers to early recognition and escalation through qualitative interviews. He notes that sepsis can present atypically in older adults and that systemic challenges in aged care can delay timely action.
“At the moment, we don’t have one singular, specific sepsis escalation model of care,” he explains.
“There is an opportunity to strengthen how we teach clinicians to identify and understand sepsis escalation within LGH. How we identify sepsis will make a difference in our clinical care and patient health outcomes.”
The research aims to identify knowledge gaps, barriers to escalation and opportunities for targeted education, clinical support tools and system-level improvements to enhance resident safety and reduce preventable sepsis-related harm.
Sulthan completed his Master of Nursing and Critical Care in India and is currently undertaking Nursing Honours, with plans to progress to a PhD.
“I only just realised there was a Clifford Craig Health Foundation Nursing Honours Scholarship and this will offer a bridging to my PhD,” he says.
“I need to achieve a Distinction to make the cut for PhD, so I will be disciplined in my approach alongside work and family commitments.”
Outside of work and study, Sulthan enjoys an active lifestyle with his wife and their three sons.
“I enjoy playing cricket with my kids. They play soccer on weekends too. We’re a very active family,” he says.
Greens Beach is a favourite family destination, and he enjoys fishing at nearby Low Head. Closer to work, Aromas café across the road from LGH is his favourite local spot, reinforcing a strong sense that Launceston has truly become home.
The Nursing Honours Scholarship is funded by the Clifford Craig Health Foundation and University of Tasmania’s School of Nursing.