Written and Researched by: Chris Cochrane Reviewed by: Sarah Donnelly

Objective 1a. In patients requiring antibiotic therapy, make rational choices first-line therapies for common bacterial infections: - Simple Cystitis - Complicated Cystitis/Pyelonephritis - STI: Gonorrhea/Chlamydia - Cellulitis and Erysipelas (non-purulent skin infections) - Abscess (purulent skin infection) - Impetigo - Bacterial Community Acquired - Pneumonia - Sinusitis - Acute Otitis Media - Acute Conjunctivitis - Hyper-Acute Conjunctivitis

Objective 1b. Make rational choices regarding knowledge of local resistance patterns: Objective 1c. Make rational choices with respect to patient’s medical and drug history:

Objective 1d. Make rational choices regarding patient’s context:

Objective 2. In patients with a clinical presentation suggestive of a viral infection, avoid prescribing antibiotics.

Objective 3. In a patient with a purported antibiotic allergy, rule out other causes (e.g., intolerance to side effects, non-allergic rash) before accepting the diagnosis.

Objective 4. Use a selective approach in ordering cultures before initiating antibiotic therapy (usually not in uncomplicated cellulitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and abscesses; usually for assessing community resistance patterns, in patients with systemic symptoms, and in immunocompromised patients).

Objective 5: In urgent situations (e.g., cases of meningitis, septic shock, febrile neutropenia), do not delay administration of antibiotic therapy (i.e., do not wait for confirmation of the diagnosis).