Guidelines and Education
Training combined with awareness campaigns strengthens new local practices – such as the use of guidelines and the adoption of a new prescribing approach.
These training sessions should explain the importance of antimicrobial stewardship and the principles of antibiotic prescribing.
In addition, ‘diagnostic stewardship’ should be covered in these sessions. In particular, the correct indications for taking urine cultures should be taught (to avoid the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics in cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria). It is also important to provide training in correct blood sampling techniques to avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatment due to contamination.
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All doctors and hospital pharmacists involved in the administration of antibiotics should undertake regular continuing professional development.
Nursing staff and midwives, who play an active role in diagnostic sample collection, the identification of treatment failure, the IV-to-oral switch, and communication with prescribers and relatives, should also receive regular training and education.
The content can be integrated into existing training programmes and delivered as part of induction days.
Attendance lists can indicate how many doctors and hospital pharmacists have received further training.
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