Implementing an AMS Nurse Education Program for Rural and Remote Nurses

Overview

Initiative type

Model of Care

Status

Deliver

Published

03 March 2022

Summary

Nurses in rural and remote settings of South West Hospital and Health Service access this program to increase their knowledge, skills and participation in optimising antimicrobial use, antimicrobial stewardship activities and tackling the problem of drug resistance.

Key dates

Mar 2021 - Jan 2022

Implementation sites

South West Hospital and Health Service

Aim

To increase the awareness, knowledge and skills of nurses working in rural and remote Queensland in antimicrobial stewardship.

Outcomes

There has been increased engagement of facilities across South West Hospital and Health Service (HHS), quantified by increase calls to the Queensland Statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (QSAMSP) Infectious Diseases (ID) Hotline and attendance at weekly clinical rounds.

Background

At QSAMSP, our goal is to unite Queenslanders to enhance the use of antimicrobials now and to preserve them for future generations by advancing clinical practice, education and research.

QSAMSP is a multidisciplinary team, made up of infectious diseases physicians, pharmacists, nurse and coordinator.

Methods

The program initially made use of Cisco/ Retrieval Services Queensland telehealth facilities so nurses could participate as a group while still socially distancing. Weekly sessions structured around case presentation of patients admitted to the facility and prescribed antimicrobials. A Teams platform was adopted for further roll out of the program that allowed for recording of sessions (on Microsoft Stream) for nurses that couldn't attend and use of QR codes for utilising Microsoft forms for attendance registration and feedback.

Discussion

A three-month evaluation of pilot program in South West HHS through phone and video-link requested feedback from facility Directors Of Nursing, Nurse Educators and Indigenous Program Coordinators.

Lessons learnt

After good initial weekly attendance, numbers dropped off and pre-session reminders needed to be sent. Only one session had no attendance in the first three months. Sessions needed to be able to be adapted and new presentations available each week to keep regular attendees interested.

Key contact

Stephen Nocher

Acting Clinical Nurse Consultant

Metro North Hospital and Health Service

Email:  stephen.nocher@health.qld.gov.au

Last updated: March 2022

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