Reducing blood culture contamination in a pediatric emergency department

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Weddle G, Jackson MA, Selvarangan R.
Pediatr Emerg Care. 2011 Mar;27(3):179-81.
Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO

  • Reduced the rate of false-positive peripheral blood cultures by educating staff about hospital policy, using a blood culture-drawing kit, having a dedicated team obtaining peripheral blood cultures, and following up with staff who draw a contaminated peripheral blood culture.
  • The false-positive peripheral blood culture rate in the emergency department dropped from 2.1% to 1.4%.
  • Before intervention, 44 patients were called back to the emergency department, and 25 were admitted because of blood culture contamination. After intervention, a total of 9 patients were called back, and 5 were admitted.

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