Antibiotic prescribing

Abstract

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed by junior doctors, sometimes based upon previous discussions but often when the rest of the team are unavailable, and sometimes under pressure from other members of the health-care team. Complete coverage of all issues pertinent to the prescribing of antibiotics is outside the scope of this article. The intention is to focus on clinical areas of key importance in terms of frequency of occurrence in the work of a junior doctor.