Nursing home nurses' opinions on the potential evolution of their role in antibiotic stewardship: A French national cross-sectional survey.

Aims: To assess French nursing home nurses' opinions on the potential evolution of their antibiotic stewardship role, facilitators and barriers, and nurses' characteristics associated with their opinion toward new roles regarding antibiotic prescribing.

Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study in French nursing homes with ≥20 beds and for which an email address was available in a national database managed by the French government between May and June 2022.

Methods: A self-administered internet-based questionnaire of 43 closed-ended Likert items was sent to directors of eligible nursing homes by email asking them to forward the link to the questionnaire to the nurses and head nurses of their institution. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and χ tests.

Results: 7215 nursing homes were sent the online questionnaire; 1090 participants completed it partially or totally and 923 fully filled in the questionnaire. A majority of nurses supported strengthening and expanding their antibiotic stewardship role. Regarding new roles, over 70% agreed that nurses could collect urine samples to perform a urine culture on their own initiative, prescribe microbiological laboratory tests, and change the drug formulation or the administration route of the antibiotic prescribed by the general practitioner. One-third declared that they could initiate antibiotics for some infections and/or change the empirical antibiotic treatment prescribed by the general practitioner. Nurses from public nursing homes with connection to a hospital (27.5% vs. >35% for other status) and with recent experience in nursing homes (31% for <5 years of practice vs. 41% for 10 years or more) were less likely to agree to prescribe antibiotics.

Conclusions: This quantitative questionnaire survey identified potential new nurses' roles in antibiotic stewardship that seem to be acceptable and feasible for participants. These new nurses' roles need to be explored in future experimentations before considering implementation.

Reporting Method: The study adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines and followed the STROBE reporting guidelines.

Patient Or Public Contribution: A self-administered internet-based questionnaire was sent to directors of eligible nursing homes by email asking them to forward the link to the questionnaire to the nurses and head nurses of their institution. Nurses and head nurses who were interested and willing could complete the questionnaire online partially or fully.

Trial And Protocol Registration: This study is not a clinical trial and is not eligible for trial registration. We used another suitable study registration site, the Center for Open Science.