PIMs were common, and contributed to admission and injury. Hospitalisation provides an opportunity for medication rationalisation, and documentation of rationale for any PIM use.
Background
Appropriate antibiotic stewardship is of great importance given increasingly high rates of microbial antibiotic resistance and the vulnerability of older persons to adverse drug effects.
Aim
To assess prescriber compliance with Antibiotic Therapeutic Guidelines when prescribing for older patients admitted to our geriatric service, and if deficits were identified in the initial audit, to conduct an educational intervention, with re‐audit planned thereafter.
Method
Patients admitted to our geriatric Medical Admissions Unit (MAU) and treated with antibiotics for infection (confirmed or presumed) were prospectively audited (August–October 2013). Demographic details, antibiotics treatment, microbiology culture and sensitivities, and prescribing teams were recorded. Following educational intervention, MAU admissions were re‐audit (January 2014).
Results
Initial (electronic) Therapeutic Guidelines (eTG) compliance for both audits was similar with no statistical significance (15%). Compliance rates ‘at any stage of admission’ was also not statistically significantly different 43% in 2013, 54% in 2014 (p = 0.81). There was no association between the team initiating therapy (emergency vs medical team) and compliance.
Conclusion
Rates of compliance with eTG are suboptimal in our institution. Furthermore, the brief, targeted educational intervention was not effective and further exploration of means to improve antibiotic compliance is needed.
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