Antibiotic Stewardship in the NICU: One Unit's Experience

Background: Antibiotic over-use continues to be a concern worldwide contributing to antibiotic resistance and other serious morbidities. There is considerable variation in antibiotic use across Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Antibiotic exposure may alter the neonatal microbiome, increasing the risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and other morbidities. Results of published Quality Improvement (QI) projects have demonstrated success with implementation of standardized antibiotic treatment protocols. However, more information is needed to identify additional strategies to safely reduce antibiotic use in the NICU. Aim: Reduce the median Antibiotic …