Antimicrobial stewardship

Antimicrobial stewardship has been defined as "an organisational or healthcare-system-wide approach to promoting and monitoring judicious use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness."¹⁷ Antibiotic stewardship requires careful, reasonable and accountable use of antibiotics to preserve their value and efficacy.⁹

Ways to combat antimicrobial resistance include:¹⁷

1. Following local or national guidelines on prescribing the shortest effective course of antibiotic at the most appropriate dose
2. Issuing back-up or delayed prescriptions where appropriate
3. Discussing with the patient the nature of their condition and why an antimicrobial treatment may not be the best choice, while suggesting alternative options for treatment.

There are also steps you can advise patients to take to help prevent antimicrobial resistance.¹⁴
These include:

• Taking antibiotics exactly as prescribed by the healthcare provider
• Taking prescribed antibiotics for as long as they are prescribed for, even if symptoms clear up sooner
• Never borrow antibiotics or give them away to someone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours
• Any old or unused antibiotics should be disposed of properly by bringing them to the pharmacy.