Knowledge on Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship in Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-sectional study.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, causing increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is crucial to limit its spread. Nurses play a critical role in addressing AMR, but knowledge deficiency among undergraduate nu...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:International Journal of Nursing Education Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 57 - 66
Autores principales: Chaudhary, Sabina, Singh, Adarsh Lata
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Institute of Medico-legal publications Pvt Ltd Oct-Dec2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, causing increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is crucial to limit its spread. Nurses play a critical role in addressing AMR, but knowledge deficiency among undergraduate nursing students can hinder their preparedness for stewardship responsibilities. This study aims to determine the knowledge level of undergraduate nursing students about antibiotics, AMR, and AMS, addressing the challenge of knowledge deficiency among these students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 undergraduate nursing students, using a self-administered questionnaire to collect demographic data and knowledge about antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, and antimicrobial stewardship. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0, with descriptive statistics providing an overview of participants' knowledge and chi-square tests investigating associations between factors like age, gender, semester, and residence with knowledge. Results: Participants had the mean knowledge score of 7 ± 2.067, and none of the participants had adequate knowledge, 40.7% had moderately adequate knowledge, and 59.3% had inadequate knowledge. Semester of study was the only factor that had significant relations with knowledge on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship (p = 0.010). Conclusion: The study reveals significant gaps in undergraduate nursing students' understanding of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, and stewardship, highlighting the need for comprehensive curricular reform and innovative educational strategies to prepare future nurses for addressing antimicrobial resistance and strengthening healthcare systems.