Transcript Obtaining Blood Culture - South Central Association for

Obtaining Blood Culture
Poor/Improper
Venipuncture
Technique
No hand
hygiene prior
to beginning
of process
Poor/Improper
Line Draw
Technique
Incorrect
Supplies
Lack of safety
devices for
venipuncture
Hub not disinfected
prior to obtaining
blood specimen
Inadequate skin
disinfection before
venipuncture
Contamination of
venipuncture site
with local skin
anesthetic
Waste blood
aspirated prior
to culture
Multiple lumens
of CVC used for
multiple blood
cultures
Vascular end
care in line
with blood left
in the end cap
Multiple sticks
with same
needle
Top of culture bottle
not disinfected prior
to blood transfer
Blood transfer
device
contaminated due
to reuse or
incorrect use
Chlorhexidine/
alcohol skin prep
not used
Vascular end
caps not
changed
according to
policy
Site contaminated
when palpation
occurs after skin
preparation
Not enough blood
drawn
Insufficient volume
added to culture
bottle
Once obtained,
cultures not
sent to lab
within 30
minutes
Lack of blood
transfer device
IV fluids not
discontinued prior
to obtaining blood
Infusion device
components
outdate/not
changed
according to
policy
Wrong blood
culture bottle(s)
used
Policy variations
between nursing
and phlebotomy
No written/
poorly written
policy
Improper timing of
repeated cultures
Improper or lack of
time notation on
bottles/reports
Nurses are too
busy to follow
policy
Inexperienced
clinicians
Resident unfamiliar
with policy
Length of
Time
Inability to
determine time
to positivity of
bottles
Once in lab,
cultures not
processed within
30 minutes
Flawed
Blood
Culture
Results
MDs too busy to
follow policy
Agency, pool
staff not familiar
with policy
Policy unavailable
to physicians and
staff
Contamination
During Transfer
of Blood to
Culture Bottle
Blood
Volume
Education
Microbiology
Staffing
Acuity/Time
Ruth Carrico PhD RN CIC
School of Public Health and
Information Sciences
University of Louisville
Rev 09/07
[email protected]