From the frontline against antimicrobial resistance – nurses and midwives share their advice

2 May 2024

In the WHO European Region, nurses and midwives represent a highly trusted section of the health workforce. These guardians of the health system play a crucial role in preventing the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention and control programmes. They monitor the effects of antimicrobial therapy and act as key health-care communicators by educating patients and the public about AMR, ways to prevent infections, the side-effects and risks associated with antimicrobials, and the dangers of misuse.

WHO/Europe is sharing stories about the increasing and serious threat of AMR (#Stories_of_AMR) from inspiring people and professionals across the European Region. These are some of the testimonies from nurses and midwives who remind us that AMR is everyone’s responsibility.

 

Eva Ketola
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Jaana Susimeri, nurse, Finland

“I see many patients in my practice, and it is important to me to explain that antibiotics should be taken only when absolutely necessary. I am pleased to see how receptive people are when they realize that antibiotics are not always the right medication in all situations.”

Maria Goreti de Gouveia Martins da Silva
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Maria Goreti de Gouveia Martins da Silva, nurse and AMR survivor, Portugal

“It’s especially important that health-care facilities, managers and clinicians implement an antimicrobial stewardship programme. I encourage health-care professionals to comply with antibiotic prescribing guidelines and for people to comply with their doctors’ instructions, because it is everyone’s duty to preserve antibiotics and prevent antimicrobial resistance.”

Claire Reading
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Claire Reading, sexual and reproductive health advisor, Doctors Without Borders, Belgium

“The impact of not effectively treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or reproductive tract infections with the correct antimicrobials can not only lead to early infertility but can also result in maternal death. Midwives have an important role to play in educating women about STIs and ways to prevent these infections. By raising awareness, we can help preserve antibiotics for their necessary and correct use.”

samiren@humc.gov.il
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Nursing team, National Institute for Antibiotic Resistance and Infection Control (NIARIC), Ministry of Health, Israel

“As nurses, we play a pivotal role in coordinating national efforts to prevent infectious diseases and combat antibiotic resistance in health-care settings. Through our work, we contribute to improving patient outcomes, preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics and safeguarding public health at the national level.”

WHO Tajikistan
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Maryam Abidova, midwife, Tajikistan

“In my teaching, I focus on the 5 moments of hand hygiene to prevent infections among women and their newborns. Promoting hand hygiene not only prevents infections but also decreases the need for antibiotic use. Basic infection control practices can save lives and are the best way to keep us healthy.”

Iryna Massliennikova
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Iryna Massliennikova, nurse, Ukraine

“The implementation of infection, prevention and control (IPC) measures make it possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and hospital-acquired infections. I help to implement IPC measures in other hospitals in Ukraine by sharing my knowledge and experience. By preventing infections, we prevent the need to use antibiotics.”

Stine Mikkelsen
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Stine Mikkelsen, farmer and former nurse, Denmark

“In my previous work as a nurse, I have seen how antibiotic resistance can make the treatment of ill people very difficult and how it puts a strain on our hospital system. That’s why we use many of the same procedures on our farm to help prevent diseases and keep the use of antibiotics down, keeping our animals healthy.”

Marjetica Solenger Galvn
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Marjetka Smolinger Galun, nurse, Slovenia

“When each person uses all of the preventative measures available to us, we can contain and prevent the spread of many infections.”

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