Category: Antimicrobial Stewardship
Technology vs. Humans: Role of Rapid Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Stewardship in Cancer Patients
Rapid diagnostic testing (RDTs) plays an important role in Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) and highlights the impact of the Microbiology laboratory on reducing inappropriate antibiotic use, particularly in hospitalized patients. Early microbial identification with RDTs can lead to earlier initiation of targeted antimicrobial therapy, which can in turn result in shorter hospitalization, fewer adverse events […]
Jan 3, 2019
Bacteriocidal versus Bacteriostatic: What Makes the Biggest Difference in VRE Bloodstream Infection?
An October 2018 publication in Critical Care Medicine by Chuang et al details a prospective study of adults in Taiwan, between 2010 -2015, aimed to assess all-cause mortality and rate of bloodstream clearance among patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) treated with daptomycin (bacteriocidal) versus linezolid(bacteriostatic). Patients were treated with conventional daptomycin (6 to < 9 mg/kg […]
Dec 19, 2018
Skin Deep: A Closer Look at Treatment of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Current guidelines for management of Skin/Soft Tissue Infections (SSTIs) were published in 20141. Nevertheless, management of SSTIs is variable, likely driven by the fact that culture data is often unavailable to direct clinical decision making. Treatment variability results in inappropriate antimicrobial use, highlighting the need for antimicrobial stewardship. Consequently, management of SSTIs is one area […]
Dec 3, 2018
UNMC Infectious Diseases Fellows are Antibiotics Aware
The following was written by Dr. Raj Karnatak, 2nd year ID fellow at UNMC; a reflection of his current Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infection Control rotation: The UNMC Infectious Diseases fellowship antimicrobial stewardship and infection control rotation provides robust training for fellows in both antimicrobial stewardship and infection control. Training is well designed with education in all the […]
Nov 16, 2018
How Nebraska ASAP is Making Everyone Antibiotic Aware
The following was written by Dr. Salman Ashraf, co-Medical Director of the Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment & Promotion Program (ASAP): Antibiotic Resistance is one of the most urgent threats to the public health. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics allows the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of antibiotic use in various healthcare settings […]
Nov 15, 2018
Nebraska Medicine is Proud to #BeAntibioticsAware
Our Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) at Nebraska Medicine has been in place since 2004. Over the years our program has changed and improved sought to expand and improve its approach with the goal of providing extraordinary care to our patients. Rather than an overly restrictive practice, our program has we have emphasized constant regular communication […]
Nov 14, 2018
Governor Ricketts Proclaims Antibiotic Awareness Week in Nebraska
Last year, Nebraska’s Governor Pete Ricketts signed a proclamation declaring Antibiotic Awareness Week in Nebraska, and he again signed a proclamation this year, declaring November 12-18 Antibiotic Awareness Week in our state. Once again, Dr. Maureen Tierney, leader of Nebraska’s Healthcare Associated Infections Program, championed the drafting of the proclamation and received support from the Governor for […]
Nov 12, 2018
An Empiric Nudge in the Right Direction
The following review was originally posted by Dr. Marcelin to the September 2018 SHEA Journal Club and featured on Medscape’s SHEA Expert Commentary earlier this month. Use of empiric antimicrobial treatment in acute care settings is often the result of the “diagnosis momentum” heuristic, wherein the antibiotics started in one location for “sepsis” are continued for several […]
Oct 9, 2018
The following was originally posted to the Controversies in Hospital Infection Prevention Blog on 9/24/18 by Dr. Marcelin. September 28, 2018 marks 90 years since Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin as an effective antimicrobial which would soon save millions of lives. He warned soon afterwards that unless we used penicillin judiciously, we would see antibiotic […]
Sep 28, 2018
The Department of Pharmaceutical and Nutrition Care at Nebraska Medicine and the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) are recruiting for a full-time clinical pharmacist to expand the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and develop an Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) program in collaboration with a new Orthopedic Infectious Diseases service […]
Aug 27, 2018
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