November 18-24 is U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week
Every year, U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is observed from November 18-24. The week raises awareness of the importance of appropriate antibiotic and antifungal use and the threat antimicrobial resistance poses to individuals, animals, plants and their shared environment.
Antibiotic awareness is essential in ensuring the best resident care in senior living, as antibiotics are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in nursing homes. In fact:
- 50-70% of nursing home residents are prescribed an antibiotic each year.
- 25-75% of antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes is inappropriate.
The CDC recommends a 4-part communication strategy to establish clear communication with residents and families, address treatment expectations, and place the resident at the center of care. The plan includes:
- Reviewing relevant information such as symptoms or physical examination findings that support the decision about appropriate testing and antibiotic use.
- Delivering a clear diagnosis that explains the change in the resident’s condition.
- Providing a negative treatment recommendation that rules out the need for antibiotics, then giving a positive recommendation for further evaluation, management and monitoring.
- Discussing a contingency plan that details actions to be taken if the resident does not improve or their condition worsens.
Learn more about effective communication strategies here.
Obtain the Latest Resources
With the changing landscape of healthcare delivery, guidance on antibiotic stewardship is evolving to support stewardship implementation and ensure appropriate treatment of infections for all patients across the healthcare spectrum. Access resources to help your facility and team members be antibiotics aware:
CDC Resources to Help Inform Your Organization’s Antibiotic Awareness Efforts
- Effective Communication with Residents and Families
- Core Elements for Antibiotic Stewardship in Nursing Homes: Creating a Culture to Improve Antibiotic Use in Nursing Homes
- Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance Facts
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Educational Materials for Healthcare Providers
- Print Materials & Fact Sheets About Antimicrobial Resistance & Spread
Pathway Health Resources to Support Staff Competency
- Director of Nursing Resource Manual – Electronic Version
- The Requirements of Participation – Policy and Procedure Manual (Targeted Sections)
- Antibiotic Stewardship QuickPATH
- Infection Control – Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms QuickPATH
- Infection Prevention and Control Resource Manual 2024
- Access more resources >
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