Blood Cultures

A blood culture is a microbiological culture of a peripheral blood sample. As blood is usually a sterile environment, culturing can show the presence of a systemic infection, such as septicaemia. If the culture is positive, the causative micro-organism can usually be identified, and antibiotic sensitivity testing performed.

The process of collecting blood for culture can be divided into four steps; explanation and consent, preparation, procedure and aftercare. We shall now look at these stages in more detail.

Explanation and Consent

• Confirm the patients identification
  • Check full name, DOB, and hospital number
  • Confirm against patients wristband
• Explain rationale for the procedure
  • Describe the procedure
  • State the importance of the procedure in identifying a bacteraemia
• Explain the risks of the procedure to the patient
  • Infection (can be minimised by sterile equipment and aseptic non-touch technique)
  • Structure missed or another structure hit (nerve, artery, or bone)
  • Haematoma or phlebitis may develop
• Ask about relevant past medical history
  • Blood clotting disorders or medication that affects blood clotting (e.g. warfarin)
  • Arterio-venous fistula present
  • Previous breast surgery or lymph node removal
• Ask about needle phobia
• Ask about preferred location for puncture site
  • Antecubital fossa or dorsum of the hand are the preferred locations; avoid other sites if possible (especially femoral stabs) due to high risk of contamination
  • Only take blood for culture through a peripheral cannula if it is not possible to collect from a fresh puncture site

Check that the patient is happy to go ah