Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance: A Social Science Approach
Are you a health professional new to social science research? Find out how you can fight antimicrobial resistance on this course.
Learn the key aspects of successful antimicrobial stewardship
Antimicrobial resistance is a complex problem in today’s medicine that requires a unique approach. On this course, you will build your knowledge of how a social science perspective can fight the problem of antimicrobial resistance.
You will gain insights into antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in different contexts and how to apply a social science research approach. You will also be introduced to different fields of study and social science theory.
What topics will you cover?
- What is social science and why do we need a social science perspective for tackling AMR?
- Insights on implementing AMS to tackle AMR across different settings
- Introduction to realist review
- Introduction to ethnography
- Introduction to implementation science
E-learning tool
In 2012 the National Centre for Infection Prevention and Management launched a new e-learning package on Clostridium difficile (C. diff). This was an initiative to build on the C. diff infection prevention and control policy and the guidance on the clinical management of this disease to make the core information available in a user-friendly format.
The module lasts about ten minutes and includes a clinical case with a timeline guiding the user through the different stages of a clinical pathway for a patient who develops C. diff disease.
The tool is best suited for clinical and nursing staff, although it is focused on junior medical staff. It also includes a self-assessment quiz to reinforce key messages about clinical assessment.
Additional resources
- Antibiotic prescribing smartphone app for Trust staff for iPhone and Android
- Department of Health Start Smart - Then Focus guidance
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust's guidelines for treatment and management of C. diff
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust's policy on management of C. diff
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust's Start Smart Then Focus campaign
- Useful reference: Improving the quality of antibiotic prescribing in the NHS by developing a new Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme:Start Smart—Then Focus
- The National Centre for Infection Prevention and Management's website
Technical issues
- Internet Explorer 8 - If you are using this web browser you may find that when you attempt to access the Case Study in the e-learning you will need to click to "no" if a yes/no box appears asking you about secure content.
- Internet Explorer 9 - If you are using this web browser you may find that when you attempt to access the Case Study in the e-learning you will need to click "show all content" if a yellow bar pops up at the top or bottom of your screen.
- Please use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers which do not produce these issues.
Update - August 2013
Since this e-learning tool was created an additional drug, Fidaxomicin, has become available for the treatment of C. diff. Guidance on prescribing this drug is included in the Trust's policy on management of C. diff (please click on the link above).
A new algorithm for management of C. diff has also become available. This algorithm is included in the Adult Treatment of Infection Policy (please click on the link above).
