Which outcome is associated with reduced use of vancomycin for CoNS contaminants?

• A. Increased vancomycin use
• B. No change in vancomycin use
• C. Reduced vancomycin use
• D. Vancomycin replaced by linezolid

Answer: (C)

Reducing unnecessary vancomycin exposure is a central goal of antimicrobial stewardship, especially when CoNS in blood cultures are more often contaminants than true infections. When a policy or practice targets lowering vancomycin use for these presumed contaminants, the expected outcome is a measurable drop in overall vancomycin consumption. This helps minimize risks like nephrotoxicity and the development of resistance, and it lowers costs. The other possibilities don’t align with the intent: usage would not necessarily increase, and the policy aims to change usage levels rather than leave them unchanged. Substituting vancomycin with another agent would be a separate change, not the direct consequence of simply reducing vancomycin use for contaminants.