TY - JOUR

T1 - Delivery of antimicrobial stewardship competencies in UK pre-registration nurse education programmes: a national cross-sectional survey

AU - Courtenay, Molly

AU - Castro-Sánchez, Enrique

AU - Gallagher, Rose

AU - Gould, Dinah

AU - Hawker, Clare

AU - Huws, Jaci

AU - Okeah, Bernard

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - BackgroundRegistered nurses perform numerous functions critical to the success of antimicrobial stewardship but only 63% of pre-registration nursing programmes include any teaching about stewardship. Updated nursing standards highlight nurses require antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and skills.AimTo explore the delivery of key antimicrobial stewardship competencies within updated pre-registration nursing programmes.MethodA cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected between March and June 2021.FindingsLecturers from 35 UK universities responsible for teaching antimicrobial stewardship participated. The provision of antimicrobial stewardship teaching and learning was inconsistent across programmes with competencies in infection prevention and control, patient centred care, and interprofessional collaborative practice taking precedent over those pertaining to the use, management, and monitoring of antimicrobials. On-line learning and teaching surrounding hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and immunisation theory was reported to have increased during the pandemic. Only a small number of respondents reported that students shared taught learning with other healthcare professional groups.ConclusionThere is a need to ensure consistency in antimicrobial stewardship across programmes, and greater knowledge pertaining to the use, management and monitoring of antimicrobials should be included. Programmes need to adopt teaching strategies and methods that allow nurses to develop interprofessional skill in order to practice collaboratively.

AB - BackgroundRegistered nurses perform numerous functions critical to the success of antimicrobial stewardship but only 63% of pre-registration nursing programmes include any teaching about stewardship. Updated nursing standards highlight nurses require antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and skills.AimTo explore the delivery of key antimicrobial stewardship competencies within updated pre-registration nursing programmes.MethodA cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected between March and June 2021.FindingsLecturers from 35 UK universities responsible for teaching antimicrobial stewardship participated. The provision of antimicrobial stewardship teaching and learning was inconsistent across programmes with competencies in infection prevention and control, patient centred care, and interprofessional collaborative practice taking precedent over those pertaining to the use, management, and monitoring of antimicrobials. On-line learning and teaching surrounding hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and immunisation theory was reported to have increased during the pandemic. Only a small number of respondents reported that students shared taught learning with other healthcare professional groups.ConclusionThere is a need to ensure consistency in antimicrobial stewardship across programmes, and greater knowledge pertaining to the use, management and monitoring of antimicrobials should be included. Programmes need to adopt teaching strategies and methods that allow nurses to develop interprofessional skill in order to practice collaboratively.

KW - Antimicrobial resistance

KW - Antimicrobial stewardship

KW - Antimicrobial stewardship competencies

KW - National cross-sectional survey

KW - Pre-registration nurse&nbsp

KW - education programmes

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2021.09.027

DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2021.09.027

M3 - Article

VL - 121

SP - 39

EP - 48

JO - Journal of Hospital Infection

JF - Journal of Hospital Infection

SN - 1532-2939

ER -