Research priorities for antimicrobial stewardship nurses in a middle-income country: a nominal group technique study

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have become important strategies for addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Despite the increasing number of international publications identifying the important roles played by nurses as part of ASPs in low- and middle-income countries, this topic is yet poorly researched. This study aimed to identify priority research gaps in the Brazilian context concerning nurses' performance in ASPs from the perspective of nursing professionals and explore the main themes among the ideas generated by these nurses.

This qualitative study used the modified Nominal Group Technique (mNGT) during a three-day online workshop. Content analysis was performed on the basis of the ideas proposed by the participants after the clarification stage.

The participants suggested 68 ideas in the first phase. After the idea's clarification phase, 45 ideas were included in the voting rounds. The ideas prioritized by participants voting addressed (i) attributions and competencies of nurses in the ASP; (ii) planning and implementation of ASP nurses' activities; and (iii) use of information and communication technologies to assist nurses. The content analysis highlighted nine main themes in the initial ideas.

The study identified significant gaps in research related to nurses' roles in ASPs in the Brazilian context. These findings suggest that further investigation into nurses' competences, the implementation of their roles, and the application of digital tools are priority subjects of future research to improve nurses' participation in ASPs. These themes should be further studied in the Brazilian context but may be applicable to other similar socioeconomic contexts.