IV-Oral Antibiotic Switch Therapy Course

Who is the course for?

Healthcare workers involved in the prescribing and administration of antibiotics. The course is set at final year medical student/1st year doctor/new specialist nurse/junior pharmacist level and should therefore appeal to a wide-range of healthcare professionals.

What topics will you cover?

The principles of Intravenous to Oral Antibiotic Switch Therapy (IVOST) within the Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) setting

principles will apply to inpatient care too, but this will not be the focus

How oral and complex oral antibiotics can be used in an Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) setting and the evolving entity of Complex (Outpatient) Oral and Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (COPAT) services

The key practice points for OPAT-based prescribers (e.g. route, choice, duration, recording of information)

When IVOST and/or complex oral antibiotic therapy is appropriate, and understand the benefits of early IVOST/complex oral antibiotic therapy and key considerations that determine implementation of both in OPAT settings

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of intravenous compared to oral antibiotic therapy

Describe the need for detailed patient assessment when switching from intravenous to oral therapy in the OPAT setting

Describe the principles of switching patients from intravenous to oral antibiotic and the processes required to safely monitor therapy in the OPAT setting

Explore the clinical complexity of monitoring complex oral parenteral antibiotic therapy in the outpatient setting (COPAT), the characteristics of antibiotics or antibiotic regimens that require enhanced outpatient monitoring and the key components

Evaluate the need for, and nature of, clinical governance of COPAT, to ensure high-quality service and how this can be applied to their location