scholarly journals Microbial Contamination of Three-Way Taps on Arterial Lines

1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Widdowson ◽  
L. Walker ◽  
J. H. Havill ◽  
J. W. Sleigh

Arterial lines with three-way taps are used to measure blood pressure and aspirate blood, and are a potential source of catheter-related sepsis. Swabs were taken daily from 118 three-way taps on 98 arterial lines in a general intensive care unit. Infusion lines were changed weekly but arterial cannulae were not changed routinely. An overall contamination rate of 24.6% was found with the predominant organism being coagulase negative staphylococcus. The three-way taps became increasingly contaminated with time but this was shown to be unrelated to the manipulation rates. Blood culture organisms in those showing contamination of the three-way taps showed no relationship to the bacteria causing the contamination.

2021 ◽  
pp. 175114372110121
Author(s):  
Emanuele Russo ◽  
Giuliano Bolondi ◽  
Emiliano Gamberini ◽  
Domenico Pietro Santonastaso ◽  
Alessandro Circelli ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 397-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara W. Trautner ◽  
Jill E. Clarridge ◽  
Rabih O. Darouiche

Objective:Skin preparation is an important factor in reducing the rate of blood culture contamination. We assessed blood culture contamination rates associated with the use of skin antisepsis kits containing either 2% alcoholic chlorhexidine gluconate or 2% alcoholic tincture of iodine.Design:Prospective, blinded clinical trial.Setting:Tertiary-care teaching hospital.Patients:Adult patients in medical wards, the medical intensive care unit, and the cardiac intensive care unit who needed paired, percutaneous blood cultures.Interventions:House officers, medical students, and healthcare technicians drew the blood for cultures. We prepared sacks containing all of the necessary supplies, including two different types of antiseptic kits. In each sack, one kit contained 2% chlorhexidine in 70% isopropyl alcohol and the other contained 2% tincture of iodine in ethyl alcohol and 70% isopropyl alcohol. Each patient received chlorhexidine at one site and tincture of iodine at the other.Results:Four (0.9%) of 430 blood culture sets from 215 patients were contaminated. The contamination rate when using alcohol and chlorhexidine (1 of 215, 0.5%) did not differ significantly from the contamination rate when using tincture of iodine (3 of 215,1.4%;P= .62, McNemar test). There was an 87% probability that the two interventions differed by less than 2% in their rate of contamination.Conclusions:Both of these antiseptic kits were highly effective for skin preparation prior to drawing blood for cultures. The use of these kits may have contributed to the low contamination rate observed in this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S266-S266
Author(s):  
Stacy Park ◽  
April E Attai ◽  
Kyle Enfield ◽  
Taison Bell ◽  
Brandon Hill ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a dedicated intensive care unit for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 was created at our institution. We noticed a marked increase in the number of blood cultures positive for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (CoNS) that highlights unique challenges that arise with the creation of new units and workflows. Methods We reviewed all blood culture results from the COVID-19 intensive care unit (CoVICU) from April 15 to May 29. We reviewed all blood cultures taken from the oncology ward, medical intensive care unit (MICU), and emergency department (ED) for the same time frame as a comparison. We calculated contamination rates, using the clinical microbiology laboratory criteria for possible contaminants based on species and number of positive blood cultures. Results There were 324 total blood cultures collected from the CoVICU with 27/324 (8.3%) positive for organisms deemed contaminant, 10/324 (3.1%) were positive considered bloodstream infections (BSI); the ratio of BSI:contaminant was 1:2.7. For the MICU, ED, and oncology units contamination rates were 2/197 (1%), 33/747 (4.4%), and 2/334 (0.6%), respectively; and the ratio of BSI:contaminant was 5:1, 2.2:1, and 17.5:1, respectively. There was a significant relationship between contamination rates and unit, X2(3, N = 1602) = 30.85, p < 0.001. Conclusion Upon investigation, peripheral blood draw kits were not stocked in the CoVICU. Additionally, certain components of standard work for blood culture collection (e.g. glove exchange) could not be performed per usual practice due to isolation precautions. Peripheral blood draws were routinely performed by nurses in CoVICU and MICU while phlebotomy performed these in other comparison units. We suspect that lack of availability of blood draw kits and disruption of typical workflow in isolation rooms contributed to an unusually high number of contaminated blood cultures among patients admitted to the CoVICU. Notably, the CoVICU and MICU providers were the same pool of caregivers, further supporting a process issue related to isolation precautions. Institutions should be aware of the need for extra attention to supply chain management and examination of disruption to standard work that arise in the management of COVID-19 patients. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S556-S557
Author(s):  
Derek Tam ◽  
Kyle Hengel ◽  
Aparna Arun

Abstract Background Positive peripheral blood culture results are essential in guiding antimicrobial therapy in patients with bacteremia. However, false-positive results may frequently pose diagnostic issues in interpreting the test. These results can lead to increased costs and patient harm through the administration of unnecessary antibiotics and prolongation of hospital stay. The maximum acceptable contamination rate for peripheral blood cultures as suggested by the College of American Pathologists is 3%. Methods We initiated a longitudinal quality improvement project to monitor peripheral blood contamination rates at our children’s hospital in Brooklyn, NY. We reviewed positive blood culture results on a monthly basis and assessed whether they represented true infections vs. contamination based on review of patient charts. Residents and nurses in the pediatric emergency department (ED), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), inpatient unit, and newborn nursery were educated on proper skin sterilization techniques using video demonstration; the importance of avoiding palpating the venipuncture site after sterilization and the importance of cleaning the port on the blood culture bottle were reinforced. Results The pediatric ED and the PICU had the highest contamination rates in 2018 at 4.38% and 3.82%, respectively. The newborn nursery had the lowest contamination rate, at 0%. The NICU and pediatric inpatient units had contamination rates that met the goal as well, at 1.25% and 0.72%, respectively. Conclusion The departments in need of targeted interventions are the pediatric ED and the PICU, both of which had contamination rates greater than the 3% goal rate set for our project. Future interventions currently being considered include re-education of nursing and resident staff as well as the creation of equipment bundles to facilitate adequate skin preparation prior to venipuncture. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2012 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ick Hee Kim ◽  
Seung Bae Park ◽  
Seonguk Kim ◽  
Sang-Don Han ◽  
Seung Seok Ki ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainnur Rahmanti ◽  
Dyah Kartika Putri

Patient with critical condition had high morbidity and mortality rate. This condition is worsened by long term immobilization. Instability vital sign made nurses stationed delayed mobilization activities in ICU. Progressive mobilization must be started for ICU patient to decrease respiratory function, level of awareness and cardiovascular function. The objective of this study was to identify progressive mobilization activities on blood pressure parameters among critical patients in ICU. The design of this study was quai experiment design. Thirty respondents were included to the study using concequtive sampling. Progressive mobilization was given with head of bed 300 (HOB 300), head of bed450 (HOB 450) with  passive range of motion, continued with right and left lateral position. Anova repeated measurement was used to identify mean difference each of blood pressure. The result of this study show there is two moment sistolic change between HOB 300 to HOB 450 and HOB 450 to right lateral position (3,3%). There is nine moment diastolic change between HOB 450 to right lateral position (16,7%).   Keywords: blood pressure, ICU, Progressive mobilization


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