Antimicrobial stewardship programs and renal units in 2019 and beyond

Abstract

Approximately 30% of antimicrobial doses administered in hemodialysis units are considered unnecessary (D’Agata et al 2018). Therefore implementing an antimicrobial stewardship program (AMS program) in our renal units could optimize antimicrobial therapy and at the same time improve patient safety and patient quality of care. AMS programs can be seen as a key tool in facilitating the appropriate use of antimicrobials and help address the problem of antimicrobial resistance and other unintended consequences, such as antimicrobial toxicity and adverse drug reactions (Morency-Potvin, Schwartz & Weinstein, 2017).