Antimicrobial stewardship is an activity that includes appropriate selection, dosing, route, and duration of antimicrobial therapy.
It includes a variety of interventions to optimize antimicrobial use, such as:
Approximately 30-50% of antimicrobials are prescribed without an indication and broad-spectrum antibiotic use is increasing in Canada. Antibiotics are a limited resource requiring more judicious use. Excessive antibiotic use increases antimicrobial resistance, drug toxicities, and Clostridium difficile infections. AMS programs aim to improve antimicrobial use through a variety of interventions. The Nova Scotia Health AMS program models and promotes best antimicrobial-use practices to influence the culture of antimicrobial prescribing and consumption in Nova Scotia.
