AUR – Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance Options
Step 1: NHSN AUR Module Fundamentals
Start by familiarizing yourself with the basic elements of the AUR Module. Here you’ll find links to the NHSN AUR protocol and an overview of AU/AR reporting.
Background
- Chapter 14: Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module [PDF – 2.6 MB] – January 2024
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- Details how data should be captured, the type of data collected, and the analysis report options.
- Chapter 1: NHSN Overview [PDF – 384 KB] – January 2024
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- Overview of NHSN and the Patient Safety Component, which includes the AUR Module.
- Chapter 3: Patient Safety Monthly Reporting Plan [PDF – 244 KB] – January 2024
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- Explanation of the required facility Monthly Reporting Plan and Annual Facility Survey.
Reporting
- Antimicrobial Use (AU) Option: Reporting – March 2023
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Option: Reporting – March 2022
- Uploading CDA Files into NHSN – August 2017 [Video – 12 min]
Step 2: Analysis Basics - How to review and analyze your AUR data
Now that you have a better understanding of the AUR Module, learn how to access your AUR data and generate a report.
Beginner Analysis
- Antimicrobial Use (AU) Option: Beginner Analysis – March 2022
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Option: Analysis – March 2022
Step 3: Evaluation & Assessment - Compare your data
Compare your AUR data to yourself and/or a national risk-adjusted benchmark by learning to use reports such as the Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR), the Standardized Resistant Infection Ratio (SRIR), and the Pathogen-specific Standardized Infection Ratio (pSIR).
AU Option Advanced Analysis
- Antimicrobial Use (AU) Option: Advanced Analysis – March 2022
- Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR) – February 2020
- Part 1 – Understanding the Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR) – July 2019
- Part 2 – Interpreting the Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR) – July 2019
- Targeted Assessment for Antimicrobial Stewardship (TAS) – September 2022
AR Option Advanced Analysis
- Antimicrobial Resistance Option SRIR & pSIR – March 2023
- Facility-Wide Antibiogram Report – March 2021
- Incidence & Prevalence Reports – March 2023
Step 4: Additional Resources
As a final step, explore the other analysis reports available to you.
- AUR Module Analysis Quick Reference Guides: Provides a description of the various analysis reports and how to modify their output.
- NHSN Location Mapping Definitions [PDF – 800 KB]: Use this guide to determine how to map and manage your patient care locations in NHSN.
- NHSN CDA Submission Support Portal: Learn about how data are imported into NHSN through Clinical Document Architecture (CDA).
- NHSN Group Function for AUR – May 2022
- Priorities for Hospital Core Element Implementation – March 2023
Additional Content: CMS Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program
For facilities participating in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program, we recommend checking out the content below to learn the prerequisites and steps to register in the NHSN AUR Module.
