Results of Educations in a Pediatrics Hospital Aiming to Prevent Contamination of Blood Culture

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Blood culture (BC) is the gold standard test in diagnosis of bacteremia. Also, it is a frequently used test in pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to observe the changes in contamination rates after educations about obtaining BC. METHODS: Rates of contaminations and true positive results and contaminant agents were analyzed retrospectively at 2007 in a pediatrics hospital. At 2008, periodic educations about sample obtaining techniques of BC were given to medical personnels who were the sample collectors in this hospital and same parameters were analyzed prospectively. RESULTS: After educations, rate of true positive results was increased from 3.9% to 6.9%. Contamination rate was decreased from 8.73% to 6.94%. Members of skin flora were the major contaminant agents both before and after educations. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Periodic educations about sample obtaining technique of BC should be useful in decreasing the contamination rates in pediatric patients.

Keywords

• blood culture
• contamination
• education
• children