title: Antibiotic information application offers nurses quick support.
abstract: Nurses can be crucial contributors to antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs), interventions aimed at improving antibiotic use, but nurse empowerment in ASPs adds to their job complexity. Nurses work in complex settings with high cognitive loads, which ask for easily accessible information. An information application (app) was developed to support nurses in ASPs. The efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction regarding this antibiotic app were tested in a pilot study.
  
  
  
  The app was introduced into 2 lung wards of a local teaching hospital. During the 8-month pilot study, the 62 nurses of the wards had access to the app. Changes in user satisfaction regarding information support, safety attitudes, and ASP behavior were assessed with a questionnaire. At baseline, 28 nurses completed the (e-mail) questionnaire; after the study, 18 nurses participated. Scenario-based tests were done to assess app efficiency and effectiveness at baseline (n = 16) and in a randomized control (without the app, n = 17) and intervention condition (with the app, n = 17).
  
  
  
  Significant improvements were found regarding task support (P = .041), reliability (P = .004), unobtrusiveness (P = .000), relevance (P = .002), user friendliness (P = .000), speed, and hyperlinks (P = .001). An improvement in communication was observed regarding nurse-physician understanding (P = .034). With the app, nurses solved the scenarios faster than without it.
  
  
  
  The human-centered design approach and persuasive strategy of task support were effective in reducing time needed to find information. Stewardship-related behaviors need active education strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, Universitity of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.j.wentzel@utwente.nl.
authors.forename: Jobke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wentzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Regine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Drie-Pierik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nijdam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medisch Spectrum, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geesing
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, Universitity of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Health Psychology Section, Department of Health Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanderman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, Universitity of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Julia E W C
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: van Gemert-Pijnen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: antibiotic stewardship; eHealth; nurse; task support