Title | Blood culture procedures and practices in the neonatal intensive care unit: A survey of a large multicenter collaborative in California. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2023 |
Authors | Lefrak L, Schaffer KE, Bohnert J, Mendel P, Payton KSE, Lee HC, Bolaris MA, Zangwill KM |
Journal | Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol |
Pagination | 1-6 |
Date Published | 2023 Mar 16 |
ISSN | 1559-6834 |
Abstract | OBJECTIVE: To describe variation in blood culture practices in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). DESIGN: Survey of neonatal practitioners involved with blood culturing and NICU-level policy development. PARTICIPANTS: We included 28 NICUs in a large antimicrobial stewardship quality improvement program through the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative. METHODS: Web-based survey of bedside blood culture practices and NICU- and laboratory-level practices. We evaluated adherence to recommended practices. RESULTS: Most NICUs did not have a procedural competency (54%), did not document the sample volume (75%), did not receive a culture contamination report (57%), and/or did not require reporting to the provider if <1 mL blood was obtained (64%). The skin asepsis procedure varied across NICUs. Only 71% had a written procedure, but ≥86% changed the needle and disinfected the bottle top prior to inoculation. More than one-fifth of NICUs draw a culture from an intravascular device only (if present). Of 13 modifiable practices related to culture and contamination, NICUs with nurse practitioners more frequently adopted >50% of practices, compared to units without (92% vs 50% of units; P < .02). CONCLUSIONS: In the NICU setting, recommended practices for blood culturing were not routinely performed. |
DOI | 10.1017/ice.2023.33 |
Alternate Journal | Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol |
PubMed ID | 36924050 |