Ghanaian Nurse Practitioners' Experiences in Negotiating Antibiotic Prescription Stewardship for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic misuse and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are becoming increasingly serious global health concerns, It necessitates urgent multisectoral action. Although many countries have established antibiotic guidelines, little has been done to investigate nurse practitioners' experiences in negotiating antibiotic prescription stewardship for upper respiratory tract infections. Aim: To explore Nurse Practitioners' experiences in negotiating antibiotic prescription stewardship for upper respiratory tract infections. Methods: A semi-structured interview guide was used in this qualitative study. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were held between June 15 and July 22, 2021, with a Purposively sampled 10 nurse practitioners from the Tamale Metropolis. Interviews were recorded on a dictaphone. The recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data were subsequently analyzed using a thematic approach. Results: Nurse Practitioners' experiences in negotiating antibiotic prescription stewardship for upper respiratory tract infections were classified into five themes: “Antibiotic prescription Governance”, “Professional Practice”, “Reliance on abilities and skills”, “Outcomes of Antibiotic prescriptions” and “Expectations” Conclusion: A better understanding of the nurse practitioners antimicrobial stewardship for Upper respiratory tract infections is needed to inform antimicrobial prescription behaviour and prevent improper antibiotic administration among the nurse practitioners.