Antimicrobial stewardship: a collaborative partnership between infection preventionists and health care epidemiologists

Am J Infect Control. 2012 Mar;40(2):94-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2012.01.001.

Abstract

It is clear that the widespread and injudicious use of antimicrobials has greatly increased the presence of MDROs that threaten the health of all. There is worldwide acknowledgement that this threat is growing, and that prudent use of antimicrobials combined with infection prevention can prevent harm and improve patient safety. Antimicrobial stewardship programs must harness the talents of all members of the health care team to effectively identify the organism, determine its susceptibility, institute any precautions required, and prescribe the narrowest-acting antibiotic that will destroy it. IPs/HEs play a pivotal role in this approach, by assisting with early organism and infected patient identification, by promoting compliance with standard and transmission-based precautions and other infection prevention strategies such as care bundle practices, hand hygiene, and by educating staff, patients, and visitors.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Infective Agents / adverse effects*
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Bacterial Infections / prevention & control*
  • Communicable Disease Control / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Communicable Disease Control / organization & administration
  • Drug Resistance / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Infection Control Practitioners / organization & administration
  • Interprofessional Relations
  • Mycoses / drug therapy
  • Mycoses / microbiology
  • Mycoses / prevention & control*
  • Prescription Drugs / administration & dosage
  • Prescription Drugs / adverse effects*
  • Public Health / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Public Health / standards
  • Virus Diseases / drug therapy
  • Virus Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Virus Diseases / virology

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Prescription Drugs