Objective:
Determining the contamination rate of blood cultures and its determining factors.
Methods:
During a period of six months, were analyzed 564 blood culture samples requested at hospital emergency wards and 46 nurses were inquired.
Results:
In a period of six months, among a total of 564 requests, 92 blood cultures were contaminated, which corresponds to a contamination rate of 16.31%. The determining factor was the use of low-level sterile technique.
Conclusion:
The contamination rate of blood cultures is directly related to the procedures used by the nursing staff, and the workload is directly related to errors in the sterile technique of collection.
Contamination; Hematologic tests/ blood; Hematologic tests /nursing; Blood/microbiology
