Educational intervention to reduce treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in long-term care

To determine if an educational intervention can decrease the inappropriate antibiotic treatment of long-term care (LTC) residents with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB).

Prospective chart audit between May and July 2017.

Seven LTC facilities in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Chart audits were performed on all LTC residents over 18 years of age with a positive urine culture. Educational sessions and tools were available to all clinical staff at participating LTC facilities.

Fifteen-minute educational sessions were provided to LTC facility staff outlining the harms of unnecessary antibiotic use, antibiotic resistance and the diagnostic criteria of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Educational sessions were complimented with posters and pocket cards that summarised UTI diagnostic criteria.

The primary outcome measure was the number of residents who received inappropriate antibiotic treatment for ASB. Secondary outcome measures included the appropriateness of urine culture tests, number of tests and cost associated with inappropriate treatments.

In the preintervention period, 172 urine culture and sensitivity (UC&S) tests were performed, 62 (36.0%) were positive and 50/62 (80.6%) residents had ASB based on chart review. In the postintervention period, 151 UC&S tests were performed, 50 (33.1%) were positive and 35/50 (70.0%) residents had ASB. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of residents treated with antibiotics for ASB, from 45/50 (90%) preintervention to 22/35 (62.9%) postintervention (χ²=9.087, p=0.003).

An educational intervention was associated with a statistically significant decrease in inappropriate antibiotic treatment of LTC residents with ASB.