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Wanswett W, Goenka S, Jain M, Loomba P, Sharma A, Tyagi S. Evaluating the Efficacy of Training and Education on Lowering Blood Culture Contamination Rates in a Tertiary Care Hospital. JoMMID 2025; 13 (1) :57-65
URL: http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-609-en.html
Evaluating the Efficacy of Training and Education on Lowering Blood Culture Contamination Rates in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Wanshisha Wanswett , Sheetal Goenka , Manisha Jain * , Poonam Loomba , Abha Sharma , Shivani Tyagi
Department of Microbiology, Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (GIPMER), New Delhi, India
Abstract:   (179 Views)
Introduction: Blood culture remains the gold standard for diagnosing bloodstream infections. Contamination during the collection, transport, or processing of blood culture samples can obscure the true pathogens with contaminant growth, thereby complicating or delaying the diagnosis of bacteremia. This study assesses the effectiveness of an educational intervention aimed at reducing blood culture contamination rates in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This single-center study, aimed at quality improvement, included two phases: an observational phase from December 2022 to February 2023, and an interventional phase from March to May 2023. During the interventional phase, healthcare workers underwent comprehensive training in aseptic blood sample collection techniques. The study involved 980 patients, with 470 blood samples collected during the observational phase (December 2022–February 2023) and 510 during the interventional phase (March–May 2023), all processed using standard microbiological techniques. Blood cultures yielding commensal organisms without corresponding clinical symptoms were classified as contaminants. Results: The contamination rate of blood cultures dropped from 12.1% (57/470) during the observational phase to 8.6% (44/510) post-intervention; however, this reduction was not statistically significant (P = 0.34, chi-square test). Contamination rates during the observational phase were highest in the ward at 16.2%, followed by 13% in the outpatient department, and lowest in the intensive care unit at 7.1%. The predominant contaminants identified were Staphylococcus hominis, followed by Staphylococcus haemolyticus, highlighting common sources of contamination. Conclusion: Although the educational intervention did not yield a statistically significant decrease in blood culture contamination rates, the study underscores the need for multifaceted strategies, including enhanced training, environmental controls, and standardized protocols, to meet international benchmarks for contamination control.
 
Keywords: Blood culture contamination, Observational phase, Interventional phase, Quality improvement, Healthcare education
Full-Text [PDF 879 kb]   (12 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original article | Subject: Infectious diseases and public health
Received: 2023/10/20 | Accepted: 2025/03/11 | Published: 2025/06/1
attachement [PDF 231 KB]  (6 Download)
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.