ABSTRACT
Senior care pharmacists are well-positioned to lead and drive antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) initiatives, not only through audit and data collection, but also through communication, collaboration, and cooperation with prescribers and nurses to influence prescribing behaviors. Senior care pharmacists are in a unique position to take a leadership role within the interprofessional team to achieve AMS goals. They should engage with the interprofessional team to promote the judicious and appropriate use of antimicrobials at their practice sites. This position statement is an update of the 2017 version by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection and Prevention Control Committee and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP).
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents , Antimicrobial Stewardship , Communicable Diseases , Humans , United States , Pharmacists , Consultants , Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use , Communicable Diseases/drug therapyABSTRACT
Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) has become a major component of patient safety across all healthcare settings. The risk of Clostridium difficile, increasing antibiotic-resistant organisms, and potential adverse events from antibiotic misuse have led to the demand for AMS programs in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). LTCFs face several unique barriers in implementing antibiotic stewardship; however, with a change in culture through leadership, education, and accountability to the whole team these barriers can be overcome.
