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. 2020 Jul/Sep;35(3):245-251.
doi: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000441.

Reducing Blood Culture Contamination in the Emergency Department

Casey G McLeod  1
Affiliations

Reducing Blood Culture Contamination in the Emergency Department

Casey G McLeod. J Nurs Care Qual. 2020 Jul/Sep.

Abstract

Background: Blood culture contamination results in delayed or unnecessary treatments, increased morbidity risk, extended lengths of hospital stay, and increased health care costs. Collecting 2 sets of blood cultures from separate sites helps differentiate bloodstream infections (BSIs) from contamination.

Local problem: Blood culture contamination rates trailed the national threshold of less than 3% in one southeastern US emergency department (ED). Same-site and single-set collection issues were also identified.

Methods: This pre-/postintervention quality improvement study included 1137 patients (preintervention: n = 560; postintervention: n = 577) of all ages with blood culture orders in a 13-bed tertiary care ED.

Interventions: A staff educational program, blood culture collection checklist with protocol, and monthly collective and individual feedback were implemented.

Results: Blood culture contamination rates decreased from 3.39% to 2.6%. Same-site collection rates decreased from 15.13% to 4.14%.

Conclusions: The interventions effectively reduced blood culture contamination rates and same-site blood culture collections in the ED, enhancing the quality of care for patients with BSIs.

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References

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