Enhance your antimicrobial stewardship expertise and skills by joining the WA DOH’s Skilled Nursing Facility AMS Collaborative. The collaborative is a free educational resource designed for infection preventionists and additional staff working in skilled nursing facilities.
Once you register, you will receive invitations for each session. You do not need to re-register.
Schedule
2026
September 16, 2026 - Core Elements and AMS Regulations
October 21, 2026 - Basic Bugs and Drugs
November 18, 2026 - Respiratory Viruses and Community Acquired Pneumonia
December 16, 2026 - Asymptomatic Bacteriuria vs. Urinary Tract Infections
2027
January 20, 2027 - Appropriateness Criteria for Urinary Tract Infections
February 17, 2027 - Interpreting an Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing Report (AST)
March 17, 2027 - Antibiotic Use Tracking and Reporting
April 21, 2027 - Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
May 19, 2027 - Transitions of Care
Certificate Requirements
- Registration for the collaborative is required to obtain certificate.
- Attend 6 out of 9 sessions to receive certificate.
- Attend live or watch recorded YouTube webinar (scan QR code at the end to receive credit).
- Complete an Attestation Form for Completion of AMS QI Project.
- Pass a quiz on AMS subject matter.
Quality Improvement (QI) Project Examples
Below are examples of stewardship QI projects that can be completed in the skilled nursing facility environment. Facilities interested in the certificate program are welcome to design their own QI project based on their individual needs and resources. If you have technical questions related project or need help identifying resources, email us at ams@doh.wa.gov.
- Implementation of Antibiotic Time Outs conducted once a week by onsite providers.
- Update policies to include a written statement of leadership support for AMS.
- Updated staff orientation paperwork to include AMS policy and requirement to document dose, duration and indication for every antibiotic prescribed.
- All nurses and nurses' assistants took the Resident and Family Communicating about antibiotics course as a part of their annual training requirements.
- Implement an antibiotic tracking system for the most commonly used antibiotics at your facility.
- Implement educational resources and commitment posters to decrease antibiotics for viral respiratory infections.