Charani, E., Castro-Sánchez, Enrique ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3351-9496, Sevdalis, N., Kyratsis, Y., Drumright, L., Shah, N. and Holmes, A. (2013) Understanding the determinants of antimicrobial prescribing within hospitals: the role of "prescribing etiquette". Clinical Infectious Diseases, 57 (2). pp. 188-196. ISSN 1058-4838

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Abstract

Background. There is limited knowledge of the key determinants of antimicrobial prescribing behavior (APB) in hospitals. An understanding of these determinants is required for the successful design, adoption, and implementation of quality improvement interventions in antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Methods. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with doctors (n = 10), pharmacists (n = 10), and nurses and midwives (n = 19) in 4 hospitals in London. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was reached. Thematic analysis was applied to the data to identify the key determinants of antimicrobial prescribing behaviors.

Results. The APB of healthcare professionals is governed by a set of cultural rules. Antimicrobial prescribing is performed in an environment where the behavior of clinical leaders or seniors influences practice of junior doctors. Senior doctors consider themselves exempt from following policy and practice within a culture of perceived autonomous decision making that relies more on personal knowledge and experience than formal policy. Prescribers identify with the clinical groups in which they work and adjust their APB according to the prevailing practice within these groups. A culture of “noninterference” in the antimicrobial prescribing practice of peers prevents intervention into prescribing of colleagues. These sets of cultural rules demonstrate the existence of a “prescribing etiquette,” which dominates the APB of healthcare professionals. Prescribing etiquette creates an environment in which professional hierarchy and clinical groups act as key determinants of APB.

Conclusions. To influence the antimicrobial prescribing of individual healthcare professionals, interventions need to address prescribing etiquette and use clinical leadership within existing clinical groups to influence practice.

Item Type:	Article
Identifier:	10.1093/cid/cit212
Additional Information:	© The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Citation: E. Charani, E. Castro-Sanchez, N. Sevdalis, Y. Kyratsis, L. Drumright, N. Shah, A. Holmes, Understanding the Determinants of Antimicrobial Prescribing Within Hospitals: The Role of “Prescribing Etiquette”, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 57, Issue 2, 15 July 2013, Pages 188–196, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cit212
Keywords:	prescribing etiquette, antimicrobial prescribing, prescribing behavior
Subjects:	Medicine and health > Health promotion and public health
Related URLs:	Publisher
Depositing User:	Enrique Castro Sanchez
Date Deposited:	21 Mar 2022 16:13
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2024 16:09
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/8732

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