Feedback on Antimicrobial drug Use in Nursing homes: a needs Assessment

Inappropriate use of antimicrobials is common in nursing homes and can lead to antimicrobial resistance. This in turn puts pressure on the treatment of infections. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs support health care professionals to correctly prescribe antimicrobials.

Understanding and evaluating the use of antimicrobials is one of the core components of AMS programs. Two ongoing projects analyse the use of antimicrobials and provide feedback to prescribers: the Nursing Homes Infectious Disease Surveillance Network and the sentinel nursing home surveillance network within the program Learning from Data.

Aim

Although feedback is an essential part of effective AMS, insight currently lacks on what type of feedback best meets the needs of prescribers. By evaluating current feedback formats and identifying needs, this research project aims to develop feedback reports that contribute to effective AMS.

Expected results

By appropriately providing feedback and discussing the required data with prescribers, they will be better equipped to improve antimicrobial prescribing behaviour. This ultimately improves the quality of care and contributes to combatting antimicrobial resistance.