antimicrobial stewardship

Full Definition

Antimicrobial stewardship in burn care refers to systematic efforts to optimize the selection, dosing, duration, and route of antimicrobial therapy to maximize clinical outcomes while minimizing adverse effects, including antimicrobial resistance, toxicity, and healthcare costs. Burn patients are at high risk for multidrug-resistant infections due to prolonged hospitalization, invasive procedures, and extensive wounds. Effective stewardship programs in burn units include protocols for empiric therapy selection, de-escalation based on culture results, appropriate duration of therapy, and surveillance for resistance patterns. The program typically involves collaboration between burn surgeons, infectious disease specialists, clinical pharmacists, and infection control practitioners. Special considerations in burn patients include altered pharmacokinetics, unique resistance patterns, and the need for both systemic and topical antimicrobial strategies.

In Context

• "The antimicrobial stewardship team reviewed all broad-spectrum antibiotic orders in the burn unit." — Quality improvement report
• "Antimicrobial stewardship protocols guided the transition from empiric to targeted therapy." — Infectious disease consultation