Treatment of drug-resistant TB with new and repurposed medications: A supplemental field guide for nurses
The guide focuses on issues of importance to nurses and the types of care they provide to individuals with drug-resistant TB.
For the first time in almost 50 years there are two new drugs
for the treatment of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB): bedaquiline and
delamanid. There has also been increased attention given to the
safety and efficacy of “re-purposed” drugs that have
been widely used to treat other infections but are also showing
promise in the treatment of DR-TB, including linezolid and
clofazimine. Multiple guidelines, field handbooks, and training
materials have been developed but they largely focus program
managers and physicians.
This special supplemental
guide has been developed for nurses for several reasons. First,
nurses are almost always the front-line care providers for
patients with DR-TB. They spend the most time with patients,
provide the bulk of actual caregiving, and are the people
patients tend to turn to first when they have questions or
concerns. Because of this, it is essential that nurses be
provided with material that maximizes their ability to provide
optimal support to patients who are receiving new and
re-purposed drugs.
The field guide is developed and
written by The SWIFT Response Project (www.swiftresponseproject.org).
To download the guide, click here.
