Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Barbara Niedz

Abstract

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed and requested for viral illnesses despite evidence-based research studies and societal guidelines that advise against this practice. Literature has indicated that antibiotic decision-making comes from a provider's experience or exposure to illness, uncertainty of illness, or from being pressured by the patient. Nurses and advanced practice nurses are important participants in the antibiotic stewardship initiative. The purpose of this project was to examine potential knowledge deficits responsible for inappropriate antibiotic prescribing at a rural urgent care clinic in the southeastern United States, which when addressed could promote an educational in-service to decrease the number of antibiotics prescribed during a high-volume cough, cold, and flu months. The health belief model was used as a foundational model and a knowledge, attitude, and practice survey to collect data. Antibiotic prescribing habits were evaluated in the preintervention group (n = 250) and a year later in the postintervention group (n = 265). Antibiotic prescribing decreased positively from 80% to 70% and watchful waiting also increased positively from 4% to 30%; X-² (1) = 12.302, p = .000. The increase in educational awareness from these results can support a decrease in inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions, which prevents the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, contributing to positive social change.

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