Development of Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System in Sangkhom Hospital, Nong Khai Province

Abstract

            This action research aimed to study antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situations at Sangkhom Hospital, develop guidelines for preventing antimicrobial-resistant organism transmission, and evaluate the effectiveness of these guidelines. The study involved two sample groups: 50 purposively selected healthcare personnel and 200 systematically sampled hospital patients. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, knowledge assessment forms, practice evaluation forms, and infection surveillance records. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, t-test, and content analysis.

            The results showed that the developed WISE Model comprised four components: Watch & Report, Implementation, Staff Development, and Engagement. Following the implementation of this model, healthcare personnel's knowledge scores significantly increased from 15.2 to 18.4 points, and practice scores improved from 65.3% to 88.7% (p < 0.001). Additionally, the antimicrobial-resistant infection rate decreased from 0.5 to 0.3 per 1,000 patient days, and the overall length of hospital stay reduced from 9.9 to 6.5 days, with the most substantial reduction observed in bloodstream infection patients (4.4 days). In conclusion, the WISE Model proved to be an effective approach for preventing antimicrobial-resistant organism transmission in community hospitals, significantly improving staff knowledge and practices while reducing infection rates and length of hospital stay.