CDC Guidelines for Antibiotic Stewardship

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

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