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Rapid AST for BSI

CE / CME

The Next Frontier: Rapid AST to Optimize Care of Patients With Bloodstream Infections

Pharmacists: 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEUs)

Nurse Practitioners/Nurses: 1.25 Nursing contact hours

Physicians: maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits

Released: November 06, 2025

Expiration: November 05, 2026

Pretest

Progress
1 2 3
Course Completed
Please answer the questions below.
1.

I am confident in my ability to communicate the benefits of rapid phenotypic AST to decision-makers at my institution.

2.

Pretest 2: Case



  • Day 0: A hospitalized patient was started on empiric meropenem and vancomycin for cUTI

    • Later found to be bacteremic with Gram-negative bacilli



  • Genotypic RDT results: E. coli, negative for all resistance genes

  • Phenotypic AST results (based on current 2024 CLSI breakpoints):

    • Ampicillin/sulbactam: S  

    • Cefepime: S  

    • Ceftriaxone: S  

    • Ciprofloxacin: R  

    • Meropenem: S

    • Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole: S



  • Day 2: Condition stable and improving 

Assuming no contraindications, based on the rapid phenotypic AST results reporting susceptibility to all but ciprofloxacin, what would you recommend?

3.

To maximize the potential impact on patient outcomes, which of the following strategies should be the antimicrobial stewardship program’s highest priority when implementing blood culture rapid phenotypic AST?