Reducing blood culture contamination rates in the emergency department

Harding AD, Bollinger S.
J Emerg Nurs. 2013 Jan; 39(1): e1-6.
Southcoast Hospitals Group, New Bedford, MA, USA

• Developed and implemented a corrective action plan to lower contamination rates including: private conversations with staff members associated with higher numbers of contaminated draws, ensuring availability of necessary blood culture collection supplies, re-education of all staff surrounding blood culture collection best practices, monthly feedback on blood culture contamination rates, and continuing private conversations as necessary.
• The average rate of blood culture contamination dropped from 1.82% to 1.01% after the interventions, a 44% decrease in hospital-wide blood culture contamination rates.
• Annualized cost avoidance of approximately $614,000.