19 November 2014
Experts working together to prevent antibiotic resistance
Three clinical teams at University Hospitals Bristol (UH
Bristol) have been working together to combat the overuse of
antibiotics in the Trust. Staff from pharmacy, microbiology and
infection control have been using their expertise to ensure
patient's medication is managed to reduce the risk of infection and
unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics.
European Antibiotic Awareness Day on November 18, draws much
needed attention to this important initiative and UHBristol
celebrated the success of their current processes and commitment to
sharing best practice in this field.
Emily Marshall, lead antiinfectives pharmacist, said: "Although
European Antibiotic Awareness Day only happens once a year, we work
very hard throughout the whole year to ensure we control the use of
antimicrobials. Simple measures can produce fantastic results and
with a united team approach, we have seen antimicrobial prescribing
at UHBristol improve dramatically over the past few years."
Patients who are prescribed broad spectrum antibiotics can be at
a higher risk of getting other infections. Clostridium difficille
(C. diff), a bacterial infection that can affect the digestive
system is more likely to present itself if a course of antibiotics
is prescribed. The Trust works hard to ensure patients get the most
effective antibiotics when needed and don't get unnecessary
antibiotics when not needed, to reduce the risk of serious
infections like C. diff developing and spreading. Patients who are
on intravenous antibiotics are also assessed regularly to see
whether they can transfer to oral medication, reducing further risk
of infection and increasing the likelihood and speed of
discharge.
Joanna Hamilton-Davies, senior nurse infection control, said:
"Taking antibiotics remains a common predisposing factor for
Clostridium difficille infection. We work closely with the
multidisciplinary teams to ensure antibiotic guidelines are being
followed. We ensure all new staff, as well as current staff, are
aware of the antibiotic protocols through update and induction
training."
Richard Brindle, consultant microbiologist, added:
"Microbiologists and pharmacists are routinely reviewing
antibiotics on all the wards within the hospital. We use these
rounds to make changes to treatment and to educate the staff about
appropriate use of antibiotics. We are very concerned about the
increase in antibiotic resistance and by controlling antibiotic use
we hope we can slow down the spread of resistant microbes."
BACK TO NEWS
