Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit
Appropriate use of antibiotics has a significant impact on the safety of patients nationwide. Overutilization and inappropriate selection of these drugs has led to stronger bacteria that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
The Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit is a collection of sample policies and protocols, self-evaluation tools, measurement information and other resources for healthcare leaders to use in combatting the misuse of antibiotics. These resources aim to help you develop an effective antibiotic stewardship program in your organization.
Antibiotic Stewardship Initiatives & Programs
This collection of tools provides descriptions of what antibiotic stewardship means and how to develop an effective program. Information is also provided on how antibiotic stewardship can be incorporated into performance improvement initiatives to improve patient outcomes and reimbursement.
-
The Pharmacist’s Role and Responsibility in Antimicrobial Stewardship
The American Society of Health System Pharmacists recently released a statement giving guidance to pharmacists in understanding the key role they play in the Antibiotic Stewardship program. This statement outlines the Society’s stance on the pharmacist’s duty to effectively and responsibly prevent infection in patients.
While providing a background on the need for Antibiotic Stewardship, this downloadable document also outlines the individual responsibilities of pharmacists as it pertains to antibiotic moderation in instances of infection control.
-
Core Elements of Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship
The CDC guide to incorporating antibiotic stewardship best practices into the outpatient office practice setting. This information offers a framework for implementation based on committment, action tracking & reporting and education & expertise in the outpatient setting.
-
The Physician Champion in Performance Improvement
This resource provides you with an informational guide to help identify the perfect Physician Champion candidate for the project at hand. The guide is comprised of a two-page white sheet on desirable traits to look for in a good physician leader. In addition, the guide also discusses the expectations of the physician during a project and provides tips to make the physician successful in their project role.
-
IHI & CDC: Antibiotic Stewardship Driver Diagram and Change Package
This resource provides tactics to reduce the use of inappropriate antibiotic medications in healthcare organizations.
-
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology APIC
APIC provides consolidated information of vendor technology for surveillance of construction issues and environmental services with a focus on infection control.
-
Public Health Foundation PHF-Antibiotic Stewardship Program
This resource provides the framework for antibiotic stewardship programs to ensure safe patient care.
Antibiotic Stewardship Performance Improvement Tools
Measurement of data is helpful in improving processes within an organization. These tools are helpful in providing some direction with the types of data that can be compiled and used for performance improvement with antibiotic usage.
-
Webinar: Practical Applications of the Antibiogram
This webinar will help you discover how the antibiogram can be a very useful tool in your Antibiotic Stewardship program. Antibiograms can be confusing and it can be difficult to figure out just how to incorporate them into your overall program. Join our speaker as she discusses how to interpret the antibiogram and use the information to improve the effectiveness of antibiotic use in your organization.
-
Practical Applications of the Antibiogram Presentation
Click to view the presentation slides used in the Practical Applications of the Antibiogram webinar.
-
Antibiotic Audit Report
Use this document to assist you with auditing individual patient records related to antibiotic stewardship. The document facilitates collection of all related information on one page.
-
Antibiotic Stewardship Measurement Framework from IHI
A table offers recommendations for measuring outcomes in your Antibiotic Stewardship program. The measure includes infection control and medication usage to help determine program effectiveness.
-
Gap Analysis Tool for Antimicrobial Management Program
This resource provides you with another example of an in-depth Gap Analysis tool for antimicrobial management programs. The downloadable checklist and evaluation matrix will guide you in evaluating the current state of your antibiotic stewardship program by comparing it to program elements that are considered best practices.
-
Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Program Checklist
This resource provides you with an updated checklist to evaluate the current state of your facility’s antibiotic stewardship program. This checklist can be used as a gap analysis tool where you compare your program against elements which are considered best practice fundamentals of an antibiotic stewardship program. Through this analysis, you will be able to identify the areas of your facility’s antibiotic prescribing program that need improvement.
-
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Antibiotic Prescribing
This resource provides outpatient healthcare professionals with recommendations for prescribing antibiotics in the outpatient arena.
Antibiotic Stewardship Educational Resources
It may be difficult for some staff members to understand their role in antibiotic stewardship. These resources can be used to educate staff members on how they can promote antibiotic stewardship through vigilence and patient education.
-
PowerPoint Education for Staff Training in Antibiotic Stewardship 1.0
This PowerPoint presentation was created for organizations to use when training general staff members about antibiotic stewardship. This is only a PowerPoint presentation with no voiceover and is set up for staff to be able to read through and understand. The information is directed at clinicians and provides a basic overview of the antibiotic resistance crisis, what resistance means in the real world and how general staff members can make an impact in reducing the problems associated with antibiotic misuse.
Sample Job Descriptions
A job description is a tool that describes, in plain language, the functions and responsibilities of a position. A great leadership idea for reinforcing a commitment to antibiotic stewardship is to add language into the job descriptions incorporating these responsibilities into activities for certain positions. These are a few good examples of language to use in job descriptions to support antibiotic stewardship as a priority at the facility.
-
Sample Job Description for Director of Pharmacy
Sample job description from Alameda Health System for Director of Pharmacy. This job description incorporates antibiotic stewardship responsibilities.
-
Sample Job Description for a Clinical Pharmacist
Sample job description from Duke University for a Clinical Pharmacist to manage the antibiotic stewardship program.
Antibiotic Stewardship Sample Policies
Below is a collection of sample policies and procedures that facility administrators may use to effectively implement the Antibiotic Stewardship Program within their clinic or hospital.
-
Sample Antibiotic Stewardship Policy
A sample organization-wide antibiotic stewardship policy that includes measures of success.
-
Sample 2 Antibiotic Stewardship Policy
A sample organization-wide antibiotic stewardship policy that incorporates a Physician Champion.
-
Sample 3 Antibiotic Stewardship Policy
A sample organization-wide antibiotic stewardship policy.
-
Medication Tracking Log
A sample tool that can be used to track the use of antibiotics in your organization.
-
Antibiotic Soft Stop Order Notice
A tool that be placed on medical records to prompt the physician to either discontinue or reorder antibiotics after 14 days.
-
Antibiotic Time Out
A sample policy for re-evaluating the need for continuation of an antibiotic.
-
Extended Infusion Auto-substitution for Zosyn
A sample policy to guide pharmacy dosing of Zosyn.
-
Guidance on Contract Language
Sample language that can be used in a contract with an Infectious Disease Physician to oversee Antibiotic Stewardship program.
-
IV to PO Conversion Protocol
Sample IV to PO conversion protocol to facilitate transition of IV medications to oral.
-
LIP Reassessment of Volume Status and Tissue Perfusion
Tool to facilitate the volume status and tissue perfusion reassessment 6 hours after a patient presents in septic shock.
-
Renal Dosing Clarification Order
A sample renal dosing clarification order that can be used by pharmacist when adjusting doses per an approved dosing program.
-
Pharmacy Rounding Form
Sample tool that can be used by pharmacist during patient rounds.
-
Sample Physician Order set for Pneumonia
Sample physician order set for pneumonia. These orders are designed according to evidence-based practice and with antibiotic stewardship in mind.
-
Sample Physician Order set for Pneumonia/Sepsis
Sample physician order set for pneumonia/sepsis. These orders are designed according to evidence-based practice and with antibiotic stewardship in mind.
-
Sample Antibiotic Review Policy
A sample policy that describes the process of pharmacy review of organizational antibiotic use.
-
Sample Policy for Protected Antimicrobials
Sample policy describing review of use of antimicrobials that are on the restricted use list.
-
Renal Dosing Program
Sample policy that provides clinical directive for renal dose adjustments for adults based on the degree of renal impairment.
-
Renal Dosing Protocol
Detailed sample protocol for renal adjustments on specific medications.
-
Sample Sepsis Physician Order Set
Sample physician order set for sepsis. These orders are designed according to evidence-based practice and with antibiotic stewardship in mind.