acNAPS is a voluntary annual survey that can be undertaken on any single day between
1 June 2018 and 31 August 2018. All Australian aged care homes and multi-purpose services are eligible to participate. Participation in the survey assists aged care homes to identify improvements for residents through promoting appropriate antimicrobial use, preventing infections and helping reduce antimicrobial resistance, thereby also reducing harm. The acNAPS data can also assist aged care homes in regard to the Australian Aged Care Quality Standards.
Previous acNAPS surveys have identified the following areas for improvement:
- High rates of prescribing of antimicrobials for unconfirmed infections
- Gaps in documentation of the indication for antimicrobials and a review and/or stop date
- Prolonged duration of antimicrobial prescriptions
- Very high rates of use of topical antimicrobials.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) provides funding for acNAPS as part of the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) Surveillance System. acNAPS is a collaborative project between the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship (NCAS), the Guidance Group and Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System (VICNISS) Co-ordinating Centre. More information on acNAPS and the AURA Surveillance System is available on the Commission’s AURA website.
You can email support@naps.org.au or telephone (03) 9342 9415 or visit the NAPS website www.naps.org.au to register for the 2018 acNAPS. The website also has online acNAPS training materials.
