Nurse Involvement Can Boost Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts

Including bedside nurses in antibiotic stewardship activities has been identified by professional nursing groups and the CDC as an important—but missing—element in the success of these programs. To help fill this void, a new AHRQ-funded study published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology identifies several areas where bedside nurses could play an enhanced role in improving antibiotic prescribing practices. Nurses’ expertise can be used to: ensure appropriate testing for Clostridiodes difficile (C. diff) infection through accurate documentation and medication reviews; assess relevant indications before obtaining urine culture specimens to prevent the use of unnecessary antibiotics; ensure optimal antibiotic administration by helping patients transition from intravenous to oral therapies; obtain and document accurate patient histories of penicillin allergies; and use a team-based review to ensure that antibiotic therapies are not unnecessarily prolonged. The authors also identified ways to integrate nurses into an organization’s stewardship program, including on-the-job learning about antibiotics, potential drug interactions and adverse drug events. Effective communication and teamwork can also enhance nurses’ involvement in antibiotic stewardship activities, using tools such as AHRQ’s Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use. Access the abstract.

2019 Feb 21:1-6. doi: 10.1017/ice.2018.362. [Epub ahead of print]

Integrating bedside nurses into antibiotic stewardship: A practical approach.

Monsees EA1, Tamma PD2, Cosgrove SE3, Miller MA4, Fabre V3.

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Abstract

Nurses view patient safety as an essential component of their work and have reported a general interest in embracing an antibiotic steward role. However, antibiotic stewardship (AS) functions have not been formally integrated into nursing practice despite nurses' daily involvement in clinical activities that impact antibiotic decisions (e.g., obtaining specimens for cultures, blood drawing for therapeutic drug monitoring). Recommendations to expand AS programs to include bedside nurses are generating support at a national level, yet a practical guidance on how nurses can be involved in AS activities is lacking. In this review, we provide a framework identifying selected practices where nurses can improve antibiotic prescribing practices through appropriate obtainment of Clostridioides difficile tests, appropriate urine culturing practices, optimal antibiotic administration, accurate and detailed documentation of penicillin allergy histories and through the prompting of antibiotictime outs. We identify reported barriers to engagement of nurses in AS and offer potential solutions that include patient safety principles and quality improvement strategies that can be used to mitigate participation barriers. This review will assist AS leaders interested in advancing the contributions of nurses into their AS programs by discussing education, communication, improvement models, and workflow integration enhancements that strengthen systems to support nurses as valued partners in AS efforts.