This article reviews the causes and consequences of antibiotic resistance and efforts to control its growth. Antibiotic-resistant infections and related morbidity and mortality are on the rise in the United States and around the world. At the same time, the effectiveness of many antibiotics has declined. Antibiotic resistance is a natural biological outcome of antibiotic use. Although it cannot be prevented, antibiotic resistance can be controlled. New health care reform laws focus on prevention and safety, offering occupational health nurses an opportunity to raise public awareness of antibiotic resistance and promote disease prevention in the workplace.
RobertsR., HotaB., AhmadI., ScottR., FosterS., AbbasiF., . (2009). Hospital and societal costs of antimicrobial-resistant infections in a Chicago teaching hospital: Implications for antibiotic stewardship. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 40, 1175–1184.
