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Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS)

Resources to help you ensure the safe and effective use of antimicrobials in NSHA patients.

What is AMS?

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: ​

  • Audit and feedback
  • A formulary of targeted antimicrobials and approved indications
  • Education
  • Antimicrobial order forms
  • Guidelines and clinical pathways for antimicrobial utilization
  • Strategies for streamlining or de-escalation of therapy
  • Dose optimization
  • Parenteral to oral conversion of antimicrobials

Why do we need an antimicrobial stewardship program?

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.

The AMS Team

Dr. Paul Bonnar

Infectious Disease Physician; Co-Lead AMS Program

Paule.Bonnar@nshealth.ca

Dr. Ian Davis

Infectious Disease Physician; Microbiology Lead

Ian.Davis@nshealth.ca

Dr. Andrea Kent

NSHA AMS Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator; Co-lead AMS Program

Andrea.Kent@nshealth.ca

Valerie Murphy

Central Zone AMS Pharmacist

Valerie.Murphy@nshealth.ca

Emma Reid

AMS/ERIN Pharmacist

Emmak.Reid@nshealth.ca

Dr. Kim Abbass

Eastern Zone AMS Pharmacist

On secondment: Please reach out to Holly Gniewek - EZ AMS Champion

Holly Gniewek

Eastern Zone AMS Champion

Holly.Gniewek@nshealth.ca

Jason Reynolds

Northern Zone AMS Pharmacist

Jason.Reynolds@nshealth.ca

Steve Smith

Western Zone AMS Pharmacist

Stephen.Smith@nshealth.ca

Emma Madden

Yarmouth Regional AMS Champion

emma.madden@nshealth.ca

Angela Dagley-Vaughn

South Shore Regional AMS Champion

angela.dagley-vaughn@nshealth.ca