Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Nurses Regarding Antimicrobial Stewardship in Teaching Hospitals in South West Nigeria

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship programmes are globally endorsed strategies for combating antibiotic resistance, with nurses positioned as critical stewardship actors. Evidence on nursing contributions to stewardship in Nigerian hospitals remains sparse. Aim: This study assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses regarding antimicrobial stewardship at teaching hospitals in South West Nigeria. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional design recruited 180 nurses from three teaching hospitals through stratified random sampling. A validated Antimicrobial Stewardship Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices questionnaire was administered. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26. Results: Adequate stewardship knowledge was found in 53% of nurses. Positive attitudes toward stewardship were reported by 71%, yet active stewardship practices including documentation of antibiotic indication and review of culture sensitivity results were performed by only 39%. Barriers included role ambiguity, absent stewardship team structures, and insufficient training. Conclusion: Nigerian nurses have positive stewardship attitudes but limited practice engagement. Recommendations include formal stewardship nurse roles, antimicrobial stewardship training modules in post-basic nursing education, and integration of nurse-specific stewardship metrics into hospital quality frameworks. Keywords: antimicrobial stewardship, nursing, antibiotic resistance, South West Nigeria, hospital infection control.