Implementing an Antibiotic Stewardship Program for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Urgent Care
Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
6-16-2025
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Jacquie Sands
Abstract
Antibiotic overprescription for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) remains a persistent challenge in urgent care, contributing to antimicrobial resistance and increased healthcare costs. This quality improvement project evaluated whether a structured educational intervention an Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP) could improve providers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in evidence-based prescribing. A quasi-experimental, single-group pre-post design was used with seven urgent care clinicians. Data were collected through a custom Antibiotic Stewardship Questionnaire and a Self-Efficacy Survey administered before and after the intervention. Results demonstrated a 17% increase in knowledge scores (from 9.3 to 10.6 out of 11) and a statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy scores (from 4.6 to 4.9 on a 5-point scale). These findings indicated that brief, targeted education can meaningfully enhance providers’ readiness to implement appropriate prescribing practices. The intervention was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior and Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model, both of which helped frame how improved attitudes, perceived control, and leadership engagement can support behavior change. Although limited by a small sample size and the absence of long-term prescribing data, the project demonstrated both feasibility and short-term impact. It demonstrated the potential of structured educational ASPs to align provider behavior with national stewardship guidelines and promote safer, more responsible antibiotic use in fast-paced clinical environments. Broader implementation of similar training programs contributed to combating antimicrobial resistance and improving quality of care in urgent care settings.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Childree, John, "Implementing an Antibiotic Stewardship Program for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Urgent Care" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 169.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/169
