Only 23.3% of nurses considered variation in leukocytes, cardiac and respiratory frequency and axillary temperature as classifying sepsis clinical signals. In one case with sepsis signals, only 10% of answers were correct. When trying to establish a differentiation pattern among sepsis stages, a new case was developed highlighting severe sepsis, showing 36.6% of right answers, making it clear that there is a confusion facing this syndrome, where 10% chose sepsis, 26.6% septic shock and 26.6% infection caused by a surgical wound. Only 30% of the nurses pointed out that treatment is effective within hours of its recognition. In a final question 70% affirmed that it is important to recognize sepsis early.