Ms Fiona Gotterson1,2, Professor Kirsty Buising1,2,3,4, Associate Professor Lisa Hall5, Professor Elizabeth Manias4,6, Dr Arjun Rajkhowa1,2
1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia
2National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, Peter Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Australia
3Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infections and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
4The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Department of Medicine, Parkville, Australia
5Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division, School of Public Health Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston , Australia
6Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, , Burwood , Australia
Introduction: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) aims to minimise harms associated with antimicrobial use, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Due to resource limitations models of AMS may necessarily differ across settings. There is potential for nurses to use and apply leadership skills to influence antimicrobial use and outcomes. Qualitative study aims to explore features of hospital based AMS programs, coordinated or led by a nurse.
Methods: Health professionals involved in hospital based, nurse led AMS, invited to participate in interview discussion. Purposeful and snowball sampling methods to ensure representation of experiences from a range of professional backgrounds, hospital types, sizes, and locations. Recruitment until saturation of themes is achieved. Between fifteen and thirty interviews to be conducted commencing July 2022. Framework method of qualitative data analysis, and identified themes mapped to established implementation frameworks.
Results: Presentation will report results of this study. We expect this research will contribute new knowledge about features of nurse led AMS and nurses’ leadership role, what facilitates or impedes nurses to lead AMS activities, and how nurse led programs may influence AMS processes and outcomes. Findings will inform recommendations for nurse led AMS, and for future research priorities on this topic.
Conclusion: It is important to understand the work of nurses tasked with leading AMS, how hospital based nurse led AMS programs work, and influences on their implementation. This understanding is needed to guide and support meaningful strategies for implementation and sustainability of nurse-led AMS programs.
Biography: Fiona is a registered nurse with extensive experience in health care, in nursing, education, quality improvement, and project management. Currently Fiona is PhD fellow at the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, University of Melbourne. Her main research interests are nurses and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), implementation and translation of evidence to practice, and interprofessional collaboration, in healthcare. Before her PhD Fiona held a senior project role at the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare, leading work on the National Antimicrobial Stewardship Project. Fiona has contributed to various publications and presented in several forums on nurses’ and AMS role.