Antimicrobial agents, which help to kill or prevent the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoans, are essential components in the treatment of various bacterial infections. Prior to the discovery of antimicrobial agents, patients with bacterial infections had few treatment options. Treatment often resulted in amputation of limbs or even death for many patients. Today’s bacterial infection treatment options typically have a better prognosis. Because of the wide variety of infections seen in patients, it is critical to be able to identify the underlying cause of the infection—whether bacterial or viral—before recommending drug treatments. This will assist you in determining whether an antimicrobial agent is appropriate and which specific agent would target the infection. In this Assignment, you will consider the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections.

To get ready:
Examine this week’s media presentation on antimicrobial principles, as well as Chapter 8 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text.
Consider the different types of antimicrobial agents.
Consider the distinctions between viral and bacterial infections.
Consider why proper infection identification is critical to selecting the appropriate antimicrobial agent.
On Day 7,
Write a 2- to 3-page paper addressing the following topics:

Describe the different types of antimicrobial agents.
Distinguish between viral and bacterial infections.
Explain why correctly identifying viral and bacterial infections is critical to selecting the appropriate antimicrobial agent.

Reminder: All papers submitted to the School of Nursing must include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Walden Writing Center’s Sample Paper (http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm) provides an example of those required elements. This formatting must be used for all papers submitted.