• G M Weiner, J D Barks, E J Wright, and R G Faix.
• Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0254, USA.
• J Perinatol. 1998 May 1;18(3):230-3.

ObjectivesTo describe the timing of initiation of administration of parenteral antibiotics to infants with suspected sepsis at birth, identify barriers to prompt administration, and assess the effectiveness of subsequent interventions designed to minimize these barriers. The goals were to administer antibiotics within 1 hour of the physician order and within 2 hours of birth with more than 80% compliance for both goals.Study DesignRetrospective chart review and prospective interventions involved 488 infants born at the University of Michigan Medical Center with indications for antibiotic therapy at birth. After an initial audit of the charts of 56 infants and the identification of poor compliance with the goals, unit policies and educational programs were developed to facilitate timely antibiotic administration. After a second audit demonstrated improvement but failure to attain the target compliance rates, review of individual cases with the responsible physician and nurse was initiated. Time intervals between birth, writing the order for antibiotics, noting the order by the nurse, and administration of antibiotics were tracked for an additional 20 months after these interventions.ResultsBefore the interventions, antibiotics were administered to 28% of infants within 1 hour of the physician order (mean +/- SEM 1.58 +/- 0.11 hours) and to 19% within 2 hours of birth (3.12 +/- 0.16 hr). By the conclusion of the study, antibiotics were administered to 87% (p < 0.0001) of infants within 1 hour of the physician order (0.79 +/- 0.04 hour; p < 0.001) and to 92% (p < 0.0001) within 2 hours of birth (1.26 +/- 0.06 hours; p < 0.001).ConclusionsAdministration of the first dose of parenteral antibiotics to newborns with suspected sepsis at birth frequently takes more than 1 hour after the order is written and more than 2 hours after birth. Efforts to identify and minimize common barriers significantly improved the timing of antibiotic administration. Additional improvement was attained by means of continued surveillance and individual feedback to caregivers of infants when timing objectives were not fulfilled.

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