A nurse-led study that is aimed at improving the use of antibiotics for burns patients has been given a cash injection of £10,000.
The project is being led by Simon Booth, nurse and burns researcher at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
It was recently awarded the highest grant given by the Hospital Saturday Fund charity and is a collaboration between the trust and the University of Brighton.
The study is focusing on identifying the right dose of antibiotic for each individual patient to make sure it reaches the infected wound.
It involves taking blood and wound fluid samples to see whether there are sufficient concentrations of antibiotics in the wound and if the bacteria in the wound have resistance to the antibiotics.
The trust highlighted that an estimated 18% of burns patients acquire infection-related complications – a major cause of morbidity, mortality and increased cost of care.
Mr Booth said: “Burn wound infections are very common and yet people who are given antibiotics do not always improve, even when we know the bacteria should be killed by the antibiotics.
“This is particularly concerning with the rise of antimicrobial resistant infections,” he said. “I am very grateful to the Hospital Saturday Fund for seeing the value of this research.
“It will give clinicians vital information about antibiotic prescribing and help in the fight to reduce antimicrobial resistance,” he added.
The Sussex-based trust is a leading specialist centre for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation.
No comments:
Post a Comment