Antibiotic Stewardship in Long-Term Care: Protecting Residents, Improving Outcomes, and Meeting CMS Requirements
Why Antibiotic Stewardship Matters in Long-Term Care
Antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed medications in nursing homes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 70% of nursing home residents receive at least one course of systemic antibiotics during a year.
Even more concerning, research cited by the CDC suggests that 40% to 75% of antibiotics prescribed in nursing homes may be unnecessary or inappropriate.
Inappropriate antibiotic use can contribute to:
- Antibiotic-resistant infections that are increasingly difficult to treat.
- Increased risk of C. difficile infections.
- Adverse drug reactions and medication interactions.
- Unnecessary healthcare costs and hospitalizations.
- Complications that may negatively affect resident health and quality of life.
For older adults with multiple chronic conditions, these risks can be especially serious.
Effective antibiotic stewardship helps ensure residents receive antibiotics when they are needed, while avoiding unnecessary treatment and its associated risks.
CMS Requirements: Is Your Facility Meeting Antibiotic Stewardship Expectations?
Under 42 CFR §483.80, CMS requires certified nursing homes to establish an infection prevention and control program that includes an antibiotic stewardship program with antibiotic-use protocols and a system for monitoring antibiotic use.
The CDC identifies seven Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homes:
- Leadership commitment
- Accountability
- Drug expertise
- Action
- Tracking
- Reporting
- Education
The education component is particularly important. Nursing personnel must understand their responsibilities in recognizing potential infections, communicating with prescribers, monitoring antibiotic therapy, and supporting appropriate antibiotic use.
For Directors of Nursing, Infection Preventionists, and Staff Development Coordinators, providing relevant education helps support a facility's antibiotic stewardship initiatives.
The Critical Role of LTC Nurses in Antibiotic Stewardship
Nurses are often the first healthcare professionals to recognize changes in a resident's condition.
Their assessments, documentation, and communication with prescribing providers can significantly influence decisions about antibiotic treatment.
For example, does a positive urine culture automatically mean a resident needs antibiotics?
Not necessarily.
Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common among older adults in long-term care, and treating it unnecessarily can expose residents to medication risks without providing clinical benefit.
Nurses who understand appropriate assessment criteria and recognize the difference between bacterial colonization and symptomatic infection can help prevent unnecessary antibiotic use.
Effective antibiotic stewardship requires nurses to understand not only when antibiotics are appropriate, but also when they may not be necessary.
Featured Online Course: Antibiotic Stewardship Training for Long-Term Care Facilities
Pedagogy Education offers a convenient online course designed to help LTC healthcare professionals understand and support effective antibiotic stewardship programs.
Antibiotic Stewardship Training for Long-Term Care Facilities
1.5 Contact Hours | $18.00
This comprehensive course provides a practical roadmap for developing, implementing, and maintaining an Antibiotic Stewardship Program tailored to the unique needs of long-term care facilities.
What Will Participants Learn?
The course addresses essential topics, including:
Understanding Antibiotic Stewardship
Explore the importance of responsible antibiotic use, the consequences of antibiotic resistance, and the goals of an effective stewardship program.
CMS and CDC Guidelines
Review the CDC's seven Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship and learn how these principles can be incorporated into facility practices.
Recognizing and Assessing Infections
Understand standardized infection assessment criteria, including Loeb and McGeer criteria, and their appropriate applications in long-term care.
Preventing Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing
Learn how careful resident assessment, documentation, and communication can support appropriate antibiotic treatment decisions.
Communication With Prescribers and Families
Develop strategies for communicating concerns about suspected infections and helping residents and families understand responsible antibiotic use.
Monitoring, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement
Explore methods for tracking antibiotic use, monitoring resistance patterns, and evaluating the effectiveness of facility stewardship initiatives.
Staff Education and Ongoing Training
Understand how continued education helps reinforce appropriate antibiotic practices throughout the facility.
Education Developed by an Experienced Long-Term Care Professional
This course was authored by Dr. Carey Peerman, PhD, MBA, RN, LNHA, an experienced healthcare leader with a background in nursing, long-term care administration, organizational leadership, and healthcare consulting.
Her experience in both nursing and facility administration brings a valuable perspective to the challenges of implementing antibiotic stewardship practices in long-term care environments.
One Nurse—or Your Entire Team!
Whether you are an individual nurse seeking to strengthen your clinical knowledge or a facility administrator responsible for educating an entire nursing staff, Pedagogy Education offers flexible online learning solutions.
For Individual LTC Nurses
Online continuing nursing education offers several advantages:
- Learn at your convenience. Complete education around your work and personal schedule.
- Study at your own pace. Review important concepts without the pressure of a traditional classroom.
- Access practical, relevant education. Focus on topics directly applicable to long-term care nursing.
- Earn continuing education contact hours. Receive documentation of successful course completion.
For Long-Term Care Facilities
Educating an entire nursing team doesn't have to involve scheduling classroom sessions, arranging instructors, or taking multiple employees away from resident care at the same time.
Pedagogy Education offers online education solutions designed to make staff training more convenient and manageable.
Facilities can benefit from:
- Volume discounts for staff education.
- Complimentary Learning Management System (LMS) setup.
- Centralized assignment and management of employee education.
- Tracking of staff training progress and completion.
- Education records and reporting capabilities.
- Flexible training that accommodates multiple shifts and staffing schedules.
An online learning solution allows facilities to provide consistent education while maintaining the flexibility needed in today's demanding long-term care environment.
Learn More About Pedagogy's Continuing Nursing Education Solutions for Organizations
Make Antibiotic Stewardship Education Part of Your Facility's Training Plan
Antibiotic stewardship is an ongoing responsibility that requires collaboration among nurses, prescribing providers, pharmacists, infection preventionists, and facility leadership.
Providing staff with education on antibiotic stewardship supports safer prescribing practices, better communication, and improved resident care.
For facilities working to strengthen their infection prevention programs and support CMS compliance, targeted staff education is an important investment.
Better antibiotic decisions begin with better education.
Get Started Today!
Pedagogy Education makes it easy to provide accessible, affordable continuing nursing education for individual nurses or entire healthcare teams.
Featured Course: Antibiotic Stewardship Training for Long-Term Care Facilities
Contact Hours: 1.5
Individual Course Price: $18.00
Whether you need education for one nurse or your entire facility, Pedagogy Education is here to help.
Enroll in Antibiotic Stewardship Training Today!
Pedagogy Education — Continuing Nursing Education Written by Nurses, for Nurses.
