Abstract
The overuse and incorrect prescribing of antibiotics in a primary care setting is leading to a state of emergency related to the formation of antibiotic resistant bacteria. These antibiotic resistant bacteria are causing many adverse events related to negative patient outcomes, increased healthcare costs, and increased secondary infections. Through a literature review, it was shown that with implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program within a primary care setting, the unnecessary antibiotic prescription was decreased in varying amounts. The purpose of this project is to further increase awareness of antibiotic resistant bacteria and decrease the amount of unnecessary antibiotic use in the primary care setting. The antibiotic prescribing practices of nurse practitioners at a rural Iowa Walk-In Clinic were evaluated. Unfortunately, the percentage of patients who received antibiotics increased from the first chart audit to the second. However, due to limited time, these audits were done in different times of the year. Moving forward, antibiotic stewardship should be a topic that includes multiple interdisciplinary team members to ensure everyone is providing a united front to protecting and preserving our antibiotic effectiveness while limited the adverse events that happen to our patients.