Antibiotic courses drift longer when nobody decides at the start how long they should be. A patient started on treatment for a urinary infection or pneumonia can still be on it a week later because the review never happened.
When you start an antibiotic, record the indication, the intended duration and the planned stop or review date on the chart. At 48 to 72 hours, review cultures and the clinical response and either narrow, switch to oral, or stop.
This is the simplest stewardship step available, and it needs no new drug or test.
- Write indication, intended duration and review date on every antibiotic start
- Review at 48–72 hours with culture results
- Switch to oral once the patient is improving and can absorb
- Stop when the planned duration is complete unless there is a clear reason not to
Why it matters
Most unnecessary antibiotic days come from courses that nobody decided to end.
Read the rest in the app
You have read your two free briefings this month. The app carries all 27 specialties, every morning, free — and this finding is waiting in it.
Scan to keep reading on your phone. No account needed to start.
Tomorrow morning, before your first patient
One edition a day for infectious diseases, written by the desk, every claim tied to its paper. Six minutes.
Get the app — free