When Darija Kuruc Poje began her career as a hospital pharmacist at General hospital “Dr. Tomislav Bardek” in Koprivnica, Croatia, antibiotics seemed routine — a standard part of nearly every inpatient’s chart. Early in her career, however, a patient with kidney impairment developed severe toxicity after receiving a standard antibiotic dose. “That experience made me realise that a small oversight, ignoring renal function, can turn a lifesaving antibiotic into a harmful one,” she recalls.
Since then, Darija has become a key member of the hospital’s Antimicrobial Stewardship team (A-team), working alongside infectious-disease physicians and clinical microbiologists to ensure antibiotics are used wisely. Drawing on global stewardship frameworks and local data, she helped implement an antibiotic review policy that required A-team validation before dispensing nephrotoxic or renally cleared antimicrobials. A hospital pharmacist is needed to validate not only renal function but also interactions, dosing, and reconstitution, among others. “Now, every prescription triggers a quick check: Is the dose right for this patient’s kidneys?”
Beyond validation, Darija co-leads interactive educational sessions where doctors, microbiologists, and pharmacists review hospital antimicrobial guidelines and discuss real-world cases. These sessions have improved adherence to antibiotic policies and fostered shared responsibility.
Her work extends beyond hospital walls. Darija collaborates with environmental officers to monitor antibiotic disposal and water contamination risks.
She has also gained the support from the county for a public campaign on using antibiotics responsibly, oriented towards the whole community. A leaflet created by A-team explains appropriate antibiotic use, side effects, and the importance of avoiding antibiotics for viral infections. “Patients listen differently when you connect their care to the broader problem of resistance,” she says.
Darija is also part of the broader European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) Sustainability Working Group focusing on sustainable antibiotic procurement, switching from intravenous to oral forms and ensuring proper disposal.
In March 2025, she helped establish the EAHP AMR Working Group, which published a review on hospital pharmacists’ involvement in national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) plans and is developing educational materials and strategies to reduce resistance with a focus on the hands-on work of hospital pharmacists.
“Hospital stewardship doesn’t end at discharge,” she concludes. “Every antibiotic we adjust and every patient we educate protects the whole community.”