The application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to nursing practice: a national survey of United Kingdom pre‐registration nursing students.

Courtenay, Molly; Hawker, Clare; Gallagher, Rose; Sunter, Matthew

Abstract

To assess student nurses understanding and skills in the application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to practice. Five hundred and twenty three student nurses responded across 23 UK universities. Although students felt prepared in competencies in infection prevention and control, patient-centred care and interprofessional collaborative practice, they felt less prepared in competencies in which microbiological knowledge, prescribing and its effect on antimicrobial stewardship is required. Problem-based learning, activities in the clinical setting and face-to-face teaching were identified as the preferred modes of education delivery. Those who had shared antimicrobial stewardship teaching with students from other professions reported the benefits to include a broader understanding of antimicrobial stewardship, an understanding of the roles of others in antimicrobial stewardship and improved interprofessional working. There are gaps in student nurses' knowledge of the basic sciences associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which nurses are involved, and a need to strengthen knowledge in pre-registration nurse education programmes pertaining to antimicrobial management, specifically microbiology and antimicrobial regimes and effects on antimicrobial stewardship. Infection prevention and control, patient-centred care and interprofessional collaborative practice are areas of antimicrobial stewardship in which student nurses feel prepared. Interprofessional education would help nurses and other members of the antimicrobial stewardship team clarify the role nurses can play in antimicrobial stewardship and therefore maximize their contribution to antimicrobial stewardship and antimicrobial management. There is a need to strengthen knowledge from the basic sciences, specifically pertaining to antimicrobial management, in pre-registration nurse education programmes. What Problem Did the Study Address?: Nurses must protect health through understanding and applying antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and skills (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2018); however, there is no research available that has investigated nurses understanding and skills of the basic sciences associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which they are involved. What Were the Main Findings?: There are gaps in student nurses' knowledge of the basic sciences (specifically microbiology and prescribing) associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which nurses are involved. Problem-based learning, and activities in the clinical setting, were reported as useful teaching methods, whereas online learning, was seen as less useful. Where and on Whom Will the Research Have an Impact?: Pre-registration nurse education programmes.

Citation

COURTENAY, M., HAWKER, C., GALLAGHER, R., SUNTER, M. et al. 2024. The application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to nursing practice: a national survey of United Kingdom pre-registration nursing students. Journal of advanced nursing [online], Early View. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16195

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 6, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Apr 25, 2024
• Deposit Date: May 3, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: May 3, 2024
• Journal: Journal of advanced nursing
• Print ISSN: 0309-2402
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2648
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16195
• Keywords: Biological subjects; Nurse roles; Nurse education; Quantitative approaches
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2311964
• Additional Information: This article has been published with separate supporting information. This supporting information has been incorporated into a single file on this repository and can be found at the end of the file associated with this output.