CDC Guidelines for Antibiotic Stewardship
Is your facility doing a good job of combating antibiotic resistance? Here is what the CDC recommends you do to be a part of the solution.
Leadership Support
- Clearly define roles and responsibilities for the Medical Director and Director of Nursing.
- Write policies and procedures for the use of antibiotics.
- Review antibiotic use and resistance data during quality assurance meetings.
Accountability
- Identify a lead for antibiotic stewardship activities. This could be the Medical Director, Director or Assistant Director of Nursing, or a pharmacist.
Drug Expertise
- Maintain access to someone with antibiotic stewardship expertise. Options include a pharmacist who is experienced in the use of antibiotics, the antibiotic stewardship team at a referral hospital, or an expert in infectious diseases.
Tracking and Monitoring
- Develop a report summarizing antibiotic use.
- Monitor rates of C. difficile infection.
- Monitor rates of antibiotic resistant organisms.
- Monitor adverse events related to antibiotic use.
Actions To Improve Use
- Document dose, duration, and indication for all antibiotic Rx.
- Develop an algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of infections.
- Periodically review agents listed on the formulary.
- Review antibiotic use history when transferring in patients from another facility.
Reporting Information
- Measure antibiotic use and outcomes.
- Personalize provider feedback on antibiotic use.
- Provide educational resources and materials about antibiotic resistance to clinical providers and nursing staff.
Source: CDC Guidelines, August 20, 2021
