The microbiology manager has noticed a significant increase in contaminated bloo

Question

The microbiology manager has noticed a significant increase in contaminated blood cultures this month.

Contamination occurs due to improper phlebotomy technique (i.e., not thoroughly cleaning the puncture site prior to specimen collection) allowing skin flora to enter the culture bottle. This can result in the patient being prescribed antibiotics that are not needed. Their hospital stay may also be extended in order to r/o sepsis.

Blood cultures are collected by phlebotomists from the laboratory and by nurses on the floors.

You are the Allied Health and Nursing Education Coordinator for the hospital.

Use the PDCA tool to develop a plan of action that will help decrease the number of contaminated cultures.

Explanation / Answer

PDCA TOOL

PLAN-

Blood culture is one of the important determinant of infection residing in the blood stream. contaminated blood culture can increase the patient ALOS (Average length of stay), unneccesary prescription of antibiotics and incurred cost associated with this. It was found that Infection control practices were not followed during sample collection.that lead to contamination of blood culture in the samples.

DO :

Project Name: BREAK THE GERM CYCLE

Project Goal: To develop and implement prevention bundle checklist to prevent contamainated blood cultures during blood culture sample collection process.

IMPLEMENTATION

Measures to be taken to prevent further occurence of infections in patient

CHECK

ACT

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