This document provides guidelines for obtaining blood cultures in infants to detect bacterial infections. It outlines that alcohol swabs should never be used and patient identification must be confirmed. The necessary equipment is listed, including antiseptic swabs, gloves, tourniquets, needles, syringes and culture bottles. The procedure steps collecting at least 1ml of blood into syringes from venipuncture sites, inoculating bottles, labeling with patient information and transporting immediately to the lab. Nurses must document the procedure details and infant's response.

1. Obtaining Blood
Cultures in the Infant
NLC P/P# 6600.0212

2. Purpose:
To detect bacterial infection of the blood in the infant.
Policy:
Alcohol swabs are never used for collecting blood
cultures, use antiseptic swabs only. Patient identification is
confirmed before the procedure is begun.

3. Equipment
Antiseptic swabs
Disposable gloves
Tourniquet
Adhesive bandage or adhesive tape, cotton balls or gauze pads
Anaerobic and aerobic culture bottles
Completed identification labels for blood tubes
Plastic bag for delivery of specimen to laboratory
Sterile needles: 23 or 25 gauge, or butterfly
Sterile syringes: 3-5 ccs

4. Procedure:
1. Perform hand hygiene.
2. Place infant in position to facilitate blood draw.
3. Put on gloves and Apply tourniquet above site selected.
4. Cleanse venipuncture sites with antiseptic swabs, allow to dry on skin
5. Collect at least one (1) ml of venous blood in 3-5 ml syringe from the
venipuncture sites.
6. Release tourniquet, Apply cotton ball or gauze pad over puncture site and
withdraw needle, apply pressure over site until bleeding stops.Tape dressing
securely.
7. Discard needle on syringe; replace with new sterile needle before injecting
blood sample into culture bottle.
8. If aerobic and anaerobic cultures are needed, inoculate anaerobic first.
9. Mix gently after inoculation,
10. Label the specimen with infant’s name, date, time, and tentative diagnosis.
Place in appropriate bag for transfer to lab.
11. Order Blood Culture in CPSI and transport the culture bottles immediately to
the laboratory.

5. Documentation:
Document description of venipuncture procedure (including
site, amount of specimen collected, time obtained, disposition of
specimen, infant’s response to procedure).