Antibiotic resistance, which occurs when bacteria do not respond to the mechanisms of the drugs designed to kill them, is one of the most serious public health concerns in the United States today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To improve provider education on antibiotic resistance, the CDC just released Section 2 of Training Modules on antibiotic stewardship.
The course includes up to eight hours of free continuing education (CE) and is accessible in multiple modules offered in four sections. The first two sections are available now, with additional content to be released later in 2018. The course objectives focus on optimizing antibiotic prescribing to protect patients and combat resistance. The course also focuses on strategies to support open discussion among physicians and patients. For more on the topics covered, visit the Continuing Education and Informational Resources CDC webpage for antibiotic stewardship.
Modern medicine is reliant on antibiotics to protect people against infection. Antibiotics are powerful drugs that have transformed health care, and good stewardship of these medications is essential to maintain their effectiveness. Every time an antibiotic is used, it can increase the risk that a future infection will be resistant. If a patient takes an antibiotic when it is not needed, that patient does not obtain any benefit and is unnecessarily exposed to preventable adverse effects. To improve the current culture of antibiotic prescribing, antibiotic stewardship optimizes the treatment of infection, protects patients from harm and combats antibiotic resistance.
It is essential that health care providers continuously educate themselves on best practices in stewardship. This particular course is primarily for clinicians who prescribe antibiotics, but everyone plays an important role in improving antibiotic use. Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified health education specialists, nurses, pharmacists and public health practitioners with a master’s degree in public health are all eligible to take the CDC course and receive CE credits. WSHA also offers additional coaching, support and resources on this topic. To get connected, contact Meg Kilcup.
