Nurses’ contribution to antimicrobial stewardship: business as usual?

Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS), the set of actions to ensure appropriate antimicrobial use, is increasingly considered a multidisciplinary endeavour. However, it is unclear how Dutch hospital-based nurses envision their contribution to AMS.

To explore the views and visions of Dutch bedside nurses on their role regarding appropriate antimicrobial use.

A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted. Fourteen bedside nurses in nine different Dutch hospitals participated. Data were analysed using a thematic content analysis.

Nurses considered their role regarding appropriate use of antibiotics as an integral part of their daily nursing practice. They envisioned their future role as an expansion of their current practice, improving or intensifying this contribution. Prompting review of antimicrobial treatment by nurses was seen as regular practice. Ward rounds were considered the best moment to exert their nursing role, by showing leadership in communicating about different aspects of AMS. Patient advocacy (“striving for the best possible care for their patient”) appears to be a driver of the nursing contribution. Nurses perceived a shared responsibility with prescribers on certain aspects of the antimicrobial treatment and wished for a clarification of this role. Education and cognitive reminders such as antibiotic checklist to be used in ward rounds, can support the uptake of the nurses’ role.

Nurses envision their future role in AMS as an enhanced, elaborated and empowered version of their current daily practice. Education, formal acknowledgment and increased awareness of the nursing role, may advance the contributing role nurses already have.