Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0665
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2161-0665
+44 1478 350008
Sarah S Nierman
Community Health Network, USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Pediatr Ther
events. Antimicrobial stewardship is a collaborative effort to improve the appropriate use of antibiotics by focusing on selection of the correct agent, dose, frequency, route and duration. Discussion: Community Health Network established an antimicrobial stewardship committee in 2014. This committee has the following goals based on expert guidelines: a) De-escalation of antibiotics based on clinical factors and microbiologic data b) Optimize antibiotic duration c) Change from parenteral to oral antibiotic route d) Dose optimization for efficacy and safety e) Avoid duplicate therapy The committee utilizes the following to achieve the goals: a) Establish evidence based guidelines for disease state diagnosis/ antibiotic use i. Physician user input and buy in up front ii. Provide education regarding guideline to physicians/ pharmacy/ nursing b) Prospective auditing and physician intervention by pharmacy and peer feedback to prescribers. c) Provider, unit, and Hospital Days of Therapy (DOT) data for review and comparison to peers and national benchmarks d) Antibiogram review e) Formulary review with P&T committee Conclusion & Significance: Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship is starting on the pediatric, pediatric intensive care and neonatal intensive care units. The goals and initiatives established in the adult population are a solid foundation for identifying pediatric opportunities.
Sarah Nierman is the Pediatric/PICU/NICU Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Community Health Network and a Clinical Instructor at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is a member of the health system’s antimicrobial stewardship program committee.
E-mail: ssaft@ecommunity.com