Definition
It includes collection of blood for culture to determine presence of microorganisms in the blood.
Articles
- Blood culture bottles (3).
- Cotton swab.
- Spirit.
- Syringe (10-20 mL).
- Needle.
- Povidone-iodine solution.
- Sterile gloves.
- Tourniquet.
- Laboratory requisition form.
Procedure
| NURSING ACTIONS | RATIONALE | |
| 1. | Before procedure Assess the physician’s order for blood culture investigation. | Obtains knowledge of samples to be collected and the reason for doing culture. |
| 2. | Explain procedure to the patient and provide a comfortable position. | Gains cooperation of the patient during the procedure. |
| 3. | During procedure Wash hands. Don sterile gloves. | Reduces transmission of microorganisms and maintains aseptic technique. |
| 4. | Apply tourniquet above the puncture site and palpate the venipuncture site. | Restricts blood flow and promotes easy visibility of veins. |
| 5. | Wipe the site with 70% alcohol in a circular manner from center to periphery for approximately 5 cm in diameter and allow to dry. | |
| 6. | Cleanse the site again with Povidone-iodine starting from center in even widening circles. Allow the iodine to remain on the skin for at least one minute. Clean the site with 70% alcohol. | Avoids contamination and maintains a sterile field. |
| 7. | Clean the cover of the culture bottles with Povidone-iodine followed by spirit. | Maintains sterility of equipment. |
| 8. | Puncture the site and draw 10ml of blood (Adults 10-20 mL of blood preferred). | |
| 9. | Remove the tourniquet once the blood is collected. | Restores circulation. |
| 10. | Remove the needle and apply pressure to the puncture site with dry cotton simultaneously. | Stops bleeding from the puncture site. |
| 11. | Change the needle with a fresh needle before injecting the blood into the bottles. | |
| 12. | Remove the metal cover on the cap of culture bottles and push 10mL blood into each of the bottles. While injecting blood into the bottles be careful not to touch the sides of the bottle. | Maintains strict aseptic technique. |
| 13. | Mix the blood and culture media by shaking the bottle gently. | |
| 14. | After procedure Discard the contaminated articles. Remove gloves. | |
| 15. | Wash hands. | Reduces transmission of infection. |
| 16. | Fill the laboratory requisition form appropriately and label the bottles with patient’s name, identification number, date and time of collection. | |
| 17. | Transfer the specimen to the laboratory immediately. | |
| 18. | Record the procedure in the patient’s chart with date and time of collection. | Communicates pertinent information to health care team. |
| 19. | Repeat the procedure within an interval of 30 minutes to 1 hour as per the number of samples required from different puncture sites. |
Special Considerations
- Blood for culture should be taken before antibiotics are administered.
- If there is regular periodicity of the fever, the advantageous time to draw blood will be just before the anticipated rise in temperature.
- For children, 2-5 mL and Neonates 1-2 mL of blood is required for culture investigation.
- Blood should never be taken from an IV line or from above an existing IV line.
- For patients with clinical diagnosis of endocarditis, two or three sets of blood cultures (a set consists of one anaerobic and one anaerobic culture from one site) should be performed over a 24-hour period to assess for sustained bacteraemia.
REFERENCES
- Annamma Jacob, Rekha, Jhadav Sonali Tarachand: Clinical Nursing Procedures: The Art of Nursing Practice, 5th Edition, March 2023, Jaypee Publishers, ISBN-13: 978-9356961845 ISBN-10: 9356961840
- Omayalachi CON, Manual of Nursing Procedures and Practice, Vol 1, 3 Edition 2023, Published by Wolters Kluwer’s, ISBN: 978-9393553294
- Sandra Nettina, Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice, 11th Edition, January 2019, Published by Wolters Kluwer’s, ISBN-13:978-9388313285
- Adrianne Dill Linton, Medical-Surgical Nursing, 8th Edition, 2023, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323826716
- Donna Ignatavicius, Medical-Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Clinical Judgment and Collaborative Care, 11th Edition ,2024, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323878265
- Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 12th Edition,2024, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323789615
- AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing, 5th Ed. Sarah. Delgado, 2023, Published by American Association of Critical-Care Nurses ISBN: 978-1264269884.
- Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing Fundamentals [Internet]. 2nd edition. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2024. PART IV, NURSING PROCESS. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610818/
Stories are the threads that bind us; through them, we understand each other, grow, and heal.
JOHN NOORD
Connect with “Nurses Lab Editorial Team”
I hope you found this information helpful. Do you have any questions or comments? Kindly write in comments section. Subscribe the Blog with your email so you can stay updated on upcoming events and the latest articles.
