You have been asked to conduct an audit about the prescribing and administration of antibiotics on the hospital ward so that you can identify areas for improvement. You have set yourself an aim of identifying whether local prescribing protocols are being met. Which of the follow processes is most appropriate to complete as part of an audit cycle?

• A. Collecting data on the prescribing of antibiotics
• B. Writing new guidelines for antibiotic use
• C. Conducting patient interviews about antibiotic use
• D. Implementing rapid antimicrobial resistance testing

Answer: (A)

In an audit cycle, you first need a concrete measure of current practice so you can see how it stacks up against the established standard. Collecting data on antibiotic prescribing gives objective, actionable information about what is actually happening on the ward—the indications, drugs, doses, duration, and whether they align with local protocols. This baseline enables you to quantify compliance, identify where gaps exist, and target improvements, which is the whole point of an audit.

Writing new guidelines would come after you’ve identified gaps and need to implement changes. Conducting patient interviews can add context, but it doesn’t reliably quantify whether prescribing practices meet protocols across the ward. Implementing rapid antimicrobial resistance testing is a diagnostic intervention, not a method for auditing prescribing adherence.