Are We Meeting the Demand for Pharmacist-Led Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs during Postgraduate Training-Year 1 (PGY1)?

Edoabasi U Mcgee,Brent L Rollins,Arrington D Mason-Callaway

doi:10.3390/pharmacy8020091

Edoabasi U Mcgee, Brent L Rollins + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy8020091

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Abstract

In the United States of America, pharmacists play a pivotal role in antimicrobial stewardship; training from postgraduate residency may hone knowledge and skills gained from didactic pharmacy education. Specifically, the first year of postgraduate training, the learner may become an “everyday steward in training” and may go on to complete a second year in infectious diseases. However, there are a limited number of second year infectious diseases programs. The current demand for pharmacist to participate in and or lead stewardship is disproportionate to available specialized training. The first year of post-graduate training has to be setup to ensure appropriate preparation, so newly trained pharmacist may help meet the demand. Currently, no clear standards exist for training in the first year. The purpose of this study is to survey the nature of stewardship training performed by first year residents from the perspective of residency program directors and preceptors. A 13-question online survey was distributed to examine resident exposure to antimicrobial stewardship activities. Survey data from targeted residency directors and preceptors were analyzed. A third of the programs required it as a mandatory rotation. Resident’s stewardship activities ranged from program to program; there was not consensus of the training activities.

Highlights

A major public health crisis affecting the world today is the growing number of resistant strains of bacteria, which can develop from inappropriate use of antimicrobials [1,2]
Most programs offered a four-week rotation. This may confirm the prior statement made by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP)/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) review that “PGY1s are broadly focused on short term training experiences, and are able to provide only a rudimentary introduction to infectious diseases [14].”
Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) training certificates such as the SIDP and the Making a Difference in Infectious Diseases (MAD-ID) certifications may be given to the newly-trained pharmacist to facilitate implementing an ASP post-residency

Summary

Introduction

A major public health crisis affecting the world today is the growing number of resistant strains of bacteria, which can develop from inappropriate use of antimicrobials [1,2]. In the United States of America, approximately 30–50% of antimicrobial use in hospitals and approximately 30% of antimicrobials prescribed in the ambulatory care setting are either unnecessary or inappropriate [3,4]. More than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States of America each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result [5]. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) with pharmacist leadership have been shown to improve patient outcomes, reduce rates of resistance, and decrease healthcare costs [7]. In the United States of America, pharmacy leadership in ASPs is supported by one of the seven core elements established by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [8].

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