Results of a Veterans Affairs employee education program on antimicrobial stewardship for older adults

Barbara Heath; Jaime Bernhardt; Thomas J Michalski; Christopher J Crnich; Rebekah Moehring; Kenneth E Schmader; Danielle Olds; Patricia A Higgins; Robin L P Jump

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2015.09.026

Results of a Veterans Affairs employee education program on antimicrobial stewardship for older adults

Am J Infect Control. 2016 Mar 1;44(3):349-51. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2015.09.026. Epub 2015 Nov 6.

Authors

Barbara Heath¹, Jaime Bernhardt², Thomas J Michalski², Christopher J Crnich³, Rebekah Moehring⁴, Kenneth E Schmader⁴, Danielle Olds⁵, Patricia A Higgins⁶, Robin L P Jump⁷

Affiliations

¹ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Cleveland, OH.
² Employee Education System, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
³ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital and University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
⁴ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Duke University, Durham, NC.
⁵ Quality Scholars Program, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
⁶ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Cleveland, OH; Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
⁷ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Cleveland, OH; Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; Infectious Disease Section, Medical Division, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH. Electronic address: robin.jump@va.gov.

Abstract

We describe a course in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Employee Education System designed to engage nursing staff working in VA long-term care facilities as partners in antimicrobial stewardship. We found that the course addressed an important knowledge gap. Our outcomes suggest opportunities to engage nursing staff in advancing antimicrobial stewardship, particularly in the long-term care setting.

Keywords: Aged; Antimicrobial stewardship; Asymptomatic bacteriuria; Nursing home; Professional education; Registered nurses.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

MeSH terms

Adult
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
Communicable Diseases / drug therapy*
Drug Utilization / standards*
Education, Medical*
Health Personnel*
Humans
Long-Term Care
United States
United States Department of Veterans Affairs*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

K08 HS023866/HS/AHRQ HHS/United States