Antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognised as a global health and economic threat that risks undermining commitments to achieving the UN Sustainability Goals (SDG).

Here you can find out more about the RCN’s approach to AMR and the work we are doing to support nursing and health care professionals.

AMR happens when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to the medicines used to treat them. As resistance grows, it becomes harder to treat infections, which could take us back to a time when even simple infections were life-threatening.

Nursing has a key role in supporting efforts to reduce this threat as a central part of the health care and public health workforce. Here at the RCN, our work is diverse to reflect the different ways in which nursing contributes within the UK and internationally to this global threat.  

The nursing and midwifery contribution to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)

We are proud to have contributed to the development of a competency framework (2021) to support antimicrobial stewardship and shape its current and future activity around the six domains of practice in association with higher education institutes (HEIs).

Led by Cardiff University the competencies provide a holistic approach to support nurses and other health care professionals on this topic. The six domains are:

• infection prevention and control
• antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance
• the diagnosis of infection and use of antibiotics
• antimicrobial prescribing practice
• person-centred care
• interprofessional collaborative practice. 

How to use the competencies

While the competencies are especially useful for students, they are also a valuable tool for those already working in roles such as:

• link nurses or infection control practitioners
• ward or department managers
• GP practice leads for infection prevention
• nursing home infection control leads. 

Read more about the Antimicrobial stewardship competency framework competencies. 

We are also involved in:

• Delivering the RCN IPC education programme, which uses the AMS competencies as a framework for learning.
• Being an active member of English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR). 

• European Federation of Nurses Associations: EU nurses combating AMR
• GOV.UK. ESPAUR annual report 2024: lay summary
• GOV.UK. UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029
• GOV.UK. UK Access, Watch, Reserve, and Other classification for antibiotics (UK-AWaRe antibiotic classification)
• European Center for Disease Control (ECDC)
• E-Bug
• Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) . Applying All Our Health
• Public Health Scotland. Antimicrobial resistance one health
• Public Health Wales. Antibiotic Awareness Campaign 2018
• HSC Public Health Agency Northern Ireland. Antibiotic awareness