title: A point prevalence survey of antibiotic prescriptions: benchmarking and patterns of use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess current patterns of antibiotic prescribing and the impact of a hospital antibiotic policy on these practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved collecting information regarding hospitalized patients utilizing the ESAC audit tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the study site hospital, the use of the restricted agents was low whilst the use of the non-restricted agents was high. Compliance with the hospital antibiotic guidelines was 70%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings identified monitoring non-restricted antibiotics and compliance with guidelines as targets for quality improvements in our hospital. Point prevalence surveys may offer a simple method of monitoring antibiotic policies, thus, informing antibiotic stewardship.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Practice Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK. maldeyab02@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mamoon A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aldeyab
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McElnay
authors.forename: Fidelma A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conlon
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019985:Benchmarking; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005060:Europe; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents