Failure to Implement Effective Antibiotic Stewardship Program
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement and follow antibiotic stewardship practices as required. The DON, who recently assumed the role of Infection Preventionist, presented a newly developed antibiotic tracking spreadsheet that did not include any resident-specific information. During the survey, the DON was unable to accurately identify the number of residents on antibiotics, initially stating there was only one resident after checking the electronic chart, despite the Resident Matrix indicating that six residents were on antibiotics at the time. Additionally, the DON was unaware of any tools, such as the McGeer criteria, being used by nursing staff to assess the need for antibiotics. The facility's policy required the Infection Preventionist to oversee infection control and antibiotic use, but these protocols were not being effectively implemented or monitored.