Graduation Year

2016

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Department Name when Degree Awarded

Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

First Advisor

Mary Clements

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Second Advisor

Mary DeLetter

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Abstract

There is an increasing number of microorganisms that are becoming resistant to antimicrobial medications. This growing number of resistant organism poses a serious health threat, not only in this nation, but throughout the world. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are greater than 2 million people who acquire serious infections that are resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents that were made to treat those organisms (CDC, 2013). Streptococcus pneumonia (S. pneumoniae or pneumococcus) is one such organism that has been identified by the CDC (2013) as becoming increasingly resistant to drugs that were once effective in treating this form of pneumonia. Inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents has been identified as a contributing factor in the growing number of resistant organisms. Antimicrobial Stewardship has been identified by the CDC as a way to decease the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial therapy. The purpose of the project was to implement a standardized medical criteria and provider query process for the de-escalation of antimicrobial drugs used for hospitalized patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP).

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