On November 8th, Governor Pete Ricketts signed a Proclamation in the Nebraska State Capitol declaring November 13 to 19, 2017 Antibiotic Awareness Week which coincides with CDC efforts to highlight the same issue. The proclamation signing was largely due to the efforts of Dr. Maureen Tierney, leader of the Nebraska’s Healthcare Associated Infections Program, who prepared and submitted the initial draft of the Proclamation to the Governor’s office.
In attendance were Dr. Tom Williams (Director of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer), Jennifer Roberts-Johnson (Deputy Director of Public Health), Dr. Tom Safranek (State Epidemiologist), and representatives from ASAP (Dr. M. Salman Ashraf, Phil Chung, Kate Tyner, Teri Fitzgerald, and Sue Beach), MDstewardship, the Nebraska Hospital Association, the Nebraska Healthcare Association, the Great Plains QIN/QIO, and other members of the Nebraska Department of Public Health. During her speech at the Proclamation Signing Ceremony, Dr. Tierney spoke about the consequences of inappropriate antibiotic use and the need for antibiotic stewardship.
The full Proclamation signed by Governor Ricketts reads:
Formerly known as Get Smart About Antibiotic Week, Antibiotic Awareness Week is an annual observance designated by the CDC to increase awareness of appropriate antibiotic use in the United States.
The Nebraska ASAP and UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases will be sending out important information to raise awareness of appropriate antibiotic use during Antibiotic Awareness Week.
Written by Phil Chung, PharmD, MS, BCPS
Page last reviewed: November 8, 2018