Objectives: To describe the prevalence and epidemiology of antimicrobial use (AU) in nursing home residents.
Design: One-day point prevalence survey.
Setting and participants: Nine nursing homes in four states; 1,272 eligible residents.
Measurement: Frequency of antimicrobials prescribed, drug name, start date, duration, route, rationale, and treatment site. AU prevalence per 100 residents overall and by resident characteristic.
Results: AU prevalence was 11.1% (95% confidence interval, 9.4%-12.9%) and varied by resident characteristics. Most (32%) antimicrobials were given for urinary tract infection. For 38% of AU, key prescribing information was not documented.
Conclusion: Opportunities to improve AU documentation and prescribing exist in nursing homes.
Keywords: Nursing home; antibiotic; antimicrobial use; prescribing; surveillance.
Published by Elsevier Inc.