As the IMAGINE Project continues its mission to improve infection prevention and control (IPC) and promote responsible antibiotic use in nursing homes across Europe, we are now entering a crucial phase of the initiative: the second audit registration (R2). This “after intervention” audit is designed to assess the effectiveness of the IMAGINE interventions implemented in nursing homes across the eight participating countries.
Scheduled to begin in February 2025, this phase will run for three months (until April 2025), involving healthcare professionals (HCPs) and project collaborators in collecting vital data. The results of this audit will help determine how much progress has been made in enhancing IPC measures, infection management, and antibiotic stewardship following the interventions of last autumn.
Key objectives of the Second Audit
The primary goal of this second audit is to evaluate the tangible outcomes of the IMAGINE interventions. By comparing the Second Audit data with the baseline data collected before the interventions (First Audit), the project team aims to measure ¬-improvements in critical areas, including:
• Enhanced adherence to IPC protocols.
• More accurate infection diagnoses and management (APO Audit).
• Reduction in unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions (APO Audit).
Anticipated outcomes
By the end of this phase, the IMAGINE Project expects to compile a comprehensive set of clinical practice behaviours in nursing homes that will provide valuable insights into the impact of its interventions. These findings will not only help evaluate the success of the project but also guide future recommendations for best practices in IPC and antimicrobial stewardship.
A collaborative effort
The success of the second audit relies on the collaboration of the whole IMAGINE consortium and specially, the health care professionals that work in the nursing homes that participate in each of the countries (Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain). We thank all our participants for their continuous effort in this project, their dedication ensures that the data collected is both reliable and actionable, enabling the project to make evidence-based conclusions about its effectiveness.
As we embark on this critical phase, the IMAGINE Project reaffirms its commitment to improving the care provided in nursing homes and combating the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Stay tuned for updates as we analyze the results and continue our work toward safer, healthier long-term care environments across Europe.