Many nursing homes have inadequate antibiotic stewardship programs and lack properly trained infection preventionists, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
For the study, researchers at the Columbia University School of Nursing in New York City surveyed a nationally representative sample of 861 nursing homes on infection control and antibacterial stewardship practices in 2018.
Four findings:
1. About 33 percent of nursing homes had comprehensive antibiotic stewardship programs. Forty-one percent had "moderately comprehensive" programs, and 26 percent did not have comprehensive programs.
2. A majority of nursing homes (91 percent) reported collecting data on antibiotic use.
3. Only 19 percent reported restricting the use of certain antibiotics.
4. Forty-six percent of nursing homes said their infection preventionists were not specifically trained in infection control.
For more study findings, click here.