Introduction to Antibiotic Stewardship Principles for the Perioperative Nurse

Since 1942, health care personnel have administered antibiotics in the United States to prevent and treat a variety of infections, including surgical site infections. Bacteria can mutate and develop resistance after frequent and repeated antibiotic exposure, thus limiting the antibiotic's effectiveness. Because antibiotic resistance can be passed from one bacterium to another, antibiotics are the only class of medications where use in one patient may negatively affect clinical outcomes in another. Antibiotic stewardship (AS) focuses on appropriate antibiotic selection, dosing, route, and duration of therapy; it seeks to minimize unplanned consequences, such as resistance and toxicity. Although there is a lack of literature on AS specific to perioperative nurses, general nursing practice includes AS activities (eg, assessing patient allergies, adhering to antibiotic administration recommendations). Perioperative nurses should participate in AS activities and use evidence-based strategies to communicate effectively with health care team members when advocating for appropriate antibiotic use.