Nurses and Antimicrobial Stewardship: Past, Present, and Future.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are essential for combating antimicrobial resistance.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration is a cornerstone of successful ASPs.
• Nurses are increasingly recognized for their contributions to antimicrobial stewardship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical role of nurses in antimicrobial stewardship.
• To emphasize the importance of integrating nurses into all stewardship efforts.
• To underscore the need for education on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of patient care workflow patterns to identify nursing roles in stewardship.
• Review of literature recognizing nursing contributions in ASP publications.
• Examination of healthcare workforce demographics to assess integration potential.

Main Results:

• Nurses are central to the practical application of antimicrobial stewardship concepts in daily patient care.
• Publications increasingly acknowledge nursing involvement in ASPs.
• Integrating the largest healthcare workforce segment (nurses) into stewardship is vital.

Conclusions:

• Successful antimicrobial stewardship necessitates a truly collaborative, multidisciplinary team effort.
• Nurses are integral to effective antimicrobial stewardship and patient care.
• Broad education on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship is imperative for all stakeholders.