Antimicrobial Resistance in Critical Care

Antimicrobial resistance complicates the approach to patient management in critical care settings. Infections resistant to antimicrobial intervention are a frequent cause of mortality and morbidity in hospitalized patients. Antimicrobial resistance is of particular concern to nurses in critical care units because they administer larger quantities of antimicrobial agents than their counterparts in other parts of the hospital. Mechanisms to prevent and manage this ever-increasing problem are imperative to reduce ramifications that include increased health care costs and increased use of valuable resources.