title: Antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes in an area with low prevalence of antibiotic resistance: compliance with national guidelines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes and determine to what degree the prescribing was in accordance with the national guidelines for antibiotic prescribing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective examination of patients' records who were prescribed antibiotics in the period 1 March 2007 to 28 February 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients residing in the nursing homes of Arendal, Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Choice of antibiotic in respect of the recommendations in the national guidelines for antibiotic prescribing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 714 antibiotic courses were prescribed to 327 patients yielding a prevalence of 6.6%. Compliant prescribing was 77% for urinary tract infections (UTI), 79% for respiratory tract infections (RTI), and 76% for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI). Ciprofloxacin was responsible for 63% of non-compliant prescribing. On the respite wards there was a higher rate of total prescribing, non-compliant prescribing, and prescribing by physicians employed at the local hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Guidelines for antibiotic use must be implemented actively and efforts to improve antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes must be aimed at both nursing home and hospital physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. markfagannor@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fagan
authors.forename: Marthe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mæhlen
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindbæk
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berild
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents