Do Blood Contamination Reduction Devices Work? A Single Institution Comparison

Abstract

We compare two initial specimen diversion devices evaluated over 3 months to investigate their utility in lowering blood culture contamination rates at or below 1%. Overall contamination rates during trial periods were 2.46% and 2.60% but usage was low, whereas device-specific contamination rates were 0.68% and 0.8%, respectively.

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Results

During the first phase (Kurin) 441 of 1,626 (27.12%) BC sets returned with a completed device slip versus 254 of 1,126 (22.55%) during the second phase (Steripath). During the trial periods, the contamination rate was 2.46% for the Kurin and 2.60% for the Steripath, which was lower than the same months the prior year (3%), but higher than the desired 50% reduction from the prior year, and higher than the new 1% benchmark. The device-specific contamination rates were 0.68% (3/441) for the Kurin device and 0.8% (2/254) for the Steripath device. Twenty-six surveys were analyzed from Steripath and 20 from Kurin users. The device was rated worse than the standard of care by 73% of users for Steripath and 30% for Kurin. The need for the phlebotomist to activate the Steripath by squeezing the device created complications for some users. No device failures were reported with Kurin.