Training and support related to antibiotic prescribing is lower among nurses and pharmacists than physicians, according to a study published in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control.
Researchers surveyed participants in a Massive Online Open Course on antibiotic stewardship. The global survey focused on available organizational resources for stewardship. They invited 920 to participate in the survey, of which 505 from 53 countries responded. Respondents included physicians (36 percent), pharmacists (26 percent), nurses (18 percent) and other (20 percent).
Four findings from the survey:
• Fifty-six percent of physicians reported postgraduate training in infection management and stewardship as compared with 43 percent of nurses and 35 percent of pharmacists.
• Hospitals were significantly more likely to have antibiotic policies than primary care facilities.
• Fifty-eight percent of teaching hospitals and 62 percent of regional hospitals had a surveillance mechanism for antibiotic consumption.
• Antimicrobial resistance, patient needs, policy, peer influence and specialty-level culture and practices were deemed important decision-making factors.