Purpose: To identify factors associated with delays in administration and pharmacy and nursing preparation of antibiotics for patients with open fractures.
Design: Retrospective review.
Setting: Level I trauma center.
Patients: Nine hundred sixty-three adults with open fractures administered antibiotics.
Main outcome measurements: Delay in antibiotic administration greater than 66 minutes from arrival and significant pharmacy-related and nursing-related delay.
Results: Isolated injury, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and transfer from another facility were associated with delay in antibiotic administration greater than 66 minutes. Injury Severity Score, transfer, and trauma team activation were associated with pharmacy-related or nursing-related delay.
Conclusion: Interventions to reduce antibiotic administration time for open fractures should focus on early identification of open fractures and standardization of antibiotic protocols to ensure timely administration even in complex or resource-scarce care situations.
Level of evidence: Prognostic level III.
Keywords: antibiotics; infection; open fracture.
Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association.