The Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship for Skilled Nursing Facilities Program is an initiative of the Fairfax County Health Department. This program seeks to support skilled nursing facilities in the Fairfax Health District with the goals of:
Strengthening infrastructure, capabilities, and effectiveness of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs.
Improving use of diagnostic testing and antimicrobial treatment for one or more infections commonly found in residents.
Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship team structure and effectiveness
Taking action to reduce unnecessary antibiotics through:
Strengthening assessment
Reducing use of culture when not necessary
Implementing antibiotic time out.
Educating nursing staff.
Educating and providing materials for residents and family members.
Monitoring and implementing quality improvement.
Importance
Antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. Addressing this threat requires continued aggressive action to:
Prevent infections in the first place
Improve antibiotic and antifungal use to slow the development of resistance
Stop the spread of resistance when it does develop
If antibiotics and antifungals lose their effectiveness, then we lose the ability to treat infections and control these public health threats.
Benefits
Stewardship improves outcomes for residents. It also prevents both the development of antimicrobial resistance bacteria and the replacement of normal bacteria with those that cause infections.
This program helps your facility:
Increase resident safety by appropriately treating true infections while avoiding antibiotic side effects.
Reduce the risk of drug resistant infection and multi-drug resistant organism outbreaks.
Meet your needs and goals through tailored support.
Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship in Skilled Nursing Facilities Program
The SASS program is a collaboration between the Fairfax County Health Department and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to improve antimicrobial use practices at Fairfax County skilled nursing facilities. The program, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will last up to 2 years.
The Health Department will provide your facility with individual, tailored, consultation and support to build an antimicrobial stewardship program, including:
Guidance for facility antimicrobial stewardship team leaders
Sharing materials from CDC, VDH and other resources
Building capacity to measure antimicrobial use
Supporting development and implementation of interventions to improve AM use practices
Skilled Nursing Facilities can choose to participate in two ways. Advance to learn more about:
Tier 1 – Program Strengthening
Tier 2 – Quality Improvement Collaborative
The program is expected to run through July 2024, but may be extended into 2025.
This program is designed for all skill nursing facilities.
Support facility in achieving self-identified antimicrobial stewardship program strengthening goals.
Strengthen antibiotic tracking and use of data to improve stewardship.
Provide education and materials to support stewardship activities.
Share successes among facilities for peer-learning.
This program is tailored for select skill nursing facilities.
Improve diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship for urinary tract infections (UTIs) by
Collaboratively developing/adopting guidelines for ordering UA and culture
Improving communication between nursing staff and prescribers
Following guidance for selection of antibiotic
Reassessing antibiotic use at 48-72 hours based on lab test results and clinical course.
Monitor data to assess impact on diagnosis and treatment.
Identify challenges, implement improvement strategies, and measure success.
Share with and learn from peers.
CDC Core Elements for Antibiotic Stewardship in Nursing Homes
Leadership commitment: Demonstrate support and commitment to safe and appropriate antibiotic use in your facility
Accountability: Identify physician, nursing and pharmacy leads responsible for promoting and overseeing antibiotic stewardship activities in your facility
Drug expertise: Establish access to consultant pharmacists or other individuals with experience or training in antibiotic stewardship for your facility
Action: Implement at least one policy or practice to improve antibiotic use
Tracking: Monitor at least one process measure of antibiotic use and at least one outcome from antibiotic use in your facility
Reporting: Provide regular feedback on antibiotic use and resistance to prescribing clinicians, nursing staff and other relevant staff
Education: Provide resources to clinicians, nursing staff, residents and families about antibiotic resistance and opportunities for improving antibiotic use
The Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship for Skilled Nursing Facilities Program is an initiative of the Fairfax County Health Department. This program seeks to support skilled nursing facilities in the Fairfax Health District with the goals of: