1. Exploring the role of nurses in Antimicrobial Stewardship at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Antimicrobial Nurse Lead
Ward based learning was the highest ranked method of teaching for the nurses across STH. In total 86 of the nurses who took part in the questionnaire stated they would prefer this manner of teaching. This style of teaching was preferred because obtaining study leave was expressed as becoming more difficult due to the current climate of staff shortages and limited time available for training and education. On-the-Spot training at ward level would deliver both academic and practical elements for nurses on the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in one simple training package.
Accurate and rapid identification of significant microorganisms is vital for guiding optimal antimicrobial therapy and improving outcome from infections. Collectively 99% of nurses within STHNFT felt that blood is an important specimen that should be taken with someone showing signs of sepsis. Reassuringly no nurse indicated that they wouldn’t know which samples should be selected. There was variation in opinions as to what other samples need to be taken, but this does vary from patient to patient on the basis of signs and symptoms and should be representative of the disease process.
To conclude, the questionnaire has demonstrated that nurses have a lack of awareness of what the term ‘antimicrobial stewardship’ means however they do already partake in actions to prompt ward based interventions to promote appropriate antibiotic use. Therefore education to raise nursing understanding of their professional role within antimicrobial stewardship is required, to further empower them to have a greater positive influence with antibiotic usage within STHNFT
INTRODUCTION
There is an increasing acknowledgement of the critical role of nurses in antimicrobial administration, management and monitoring (Gillespie et al, 2013) and ultimately antimicrobial stewardship. It is recognised that the contribution of nurses is paramount to effective antimicrobial stewardship, but that appropriate education and training support is required.
As the antimicrobial nurse for Sheffield Teaching (STH) NHS Foundation Trust I am keen to understand STH nurses understanding and awareness of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.
AIMS
A trust wide questionnaire for nurses will scope the current understanding of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship of nursing staff at STH and help to identify the learning needs and what support will be required for effective engagement and implementation of future education.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate STH nurses general knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship from across the trust and over a variety of agenda for change bandings.
To evaluate nurses opinions of their professions role within antimicrobial stewardship.
To examine the educational requirements for STH nurses to promote antimicrobial stewardship within this profession at STH.
To conclude the preferred training and teaching methods of nurses at STH.
To develop a training package for STH nurses on antimicrobial stewardship to increase awareness of its importance and the vital role they can have within this.
To try and find willing nurses with an interest in antimicrobial stewardship to become antimicrobial link nurses.
METHODOLOGY
Population – Qualified nurses from across STH hospital sites, various grades from band 5 through to band 8
Sample selection – Simple random selection from a varied cross section of areas within STH
Sample size – 100 qualified nurses
Data collection – 100 paper questionnaires were handed out to 100 qualified nurses across STH. These questionnaires were then collected by hand.
Data Analysis – Microsoft excel
DISCUSSION
The main purpose for the development of this questionnaire exploring the role of nurses in antimicrobial stewardship was to understand the current baseline understanding and awareness of antimicrobial stewardship of STHNFT nurses. The results from the questionnaire will then allow the development of an education tool for nurses across STHNFT that is geared at an appropriate level.
The results of the questionnaire show that the term “antimicrobial stewardship” is not widely known by practicing nurses at STHNFT, although they do already undertake actions to prompt this, evident from this questionnaire results. Therefore there is scope for education to improve knowledge in this area at all levels of nurses. Utilising the willing nurses that have expressed interest in being an ’antimicrobial link nurse’ will help me in continually updating nurse’s antimicrobial knowledge after initial teaching sessions have been undertaken. Link nurses will help to ensure that antimicrobial stewardship is kept on the nurse’s daily agenda similarly to infection control and other areas that have benefited from link nurses.