963. Perceived Antimicrobial Stewardship Roles of Pharmacists and Residents in US Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Background Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) were developed as a way of addressing antibiotic resistance by promoting the judicious use of antibiotics. Pharmacist and resident perspectives of their own roles within antimicrobial stewardship are relatively unknown. An ethnographic study of intensive care units (ICU) was conducted to understand the perceptions and attitudes surrounding pharmacist and resident roles relative to stewardship. Methods A research assistant with medical anthropology training performed semi-structured interviews with intensive care pharmacy specialists and residents at a medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, USA between June 2021 and August 2021. Data analysis centered on the understandings of ASPs and antibiotic prescribing present in multidisciplinary groups where certain members are not primary antibiotic decision-makers. The data were analyzed using thematic coding aided by NVivo qualitative analysis software. Results Intensive care pharmacy specialists (N=5) and residents (N=6) were interviewed, accruing > 518 minutes of semi-structured interview data. Pharmacy specialists described their contributing role as serving stewardship goals such as “decreasing mortality” and believed that they should have input in antibiotic decision making. Residents also emphasized the importance of consulting pharmacists before antibiotic decisions were made. Both groups felt limited in their ability to contribute to final antibiotic decisions. Pharmacists regularly referred to their input as a “recommendation” and described their actions as “suggestions”. Residents expressed that physicians were better suited to make decisions due to the residents’ limited experience, acknowledging that they “don’t know everything.” Table 1.Key Themes and Perceived Roles in Intensive Care Conclusion This study found that ICU pharmacists and residents have an awareness of stewardship that might aid in antimicrobial prescribing. Both groups expressed an appreciation for stewardship goals despite being bounded by hierarchies of medical practice. Providing these groups with greater autonomy over prescribing practices might improve ASP effectiveness. Future studies may focus on analysis on the social dynamics of hospital spaces and the corresponding impact on decision-making and expert practices. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.